Laying Down the Law: Abuna i Dansu
by The Kouga Lucius Connection
Summary: Sequel to Laying down the Law. The Fangs are settling back into life after Naraku only to find that a new and far more dangerous threat is on the horizon. They may have fought a battle against the Spiders, but now all of demonkind will have to fight a war
1. Prologue

**Well, here's the prologue to the new story, guys. It doesn't tell you a lot about what's gonna go down, but Ryuukoytsusei is gonna be kind of big in this story, so heads up. I get a little lyrical in here, so if you just want to do without the prologue, feel free. But you'll be confused. Read on!**

The night was dark and lonely with the rushing of cars on empty highways, the calling of mourning drunks, the soft whisper of the carefree beggar. Though Tokyo saw no wind, it heard the invisible breeze telling its secrets at every street corner for, as oblivious as the people might've been, the wind knew that times were going to change. Lights of every color poured down upon the concrete, lighting the dark with sparse pools on red hot concrete; underneath each pole was a forgotten business man waiting for the last bus or an unfaithful wife shifting her eyes madly to the side, pulling her overcoat tighter than necessary. A whore called down the street, smirking with lips the color of blood. The streets were the same, but the air was different.

A Cadillac drove quietly along the streets, looking offbeat and suspicious in the dreary slums of North Tokyo. The driver went quietly about his job, thinking as little as possible about the man in the backseat or the precious girl beside him; it was easier not to interfere in a situation such as this. The boss man paid well, which solicited few complaints from his many workers, but each of them had a sense of uneasiness whenever they saw him smile. Gentaki Tousen was a man of immoral means and everyone knew it, but the extent of his perversity was unknown by most.

Gentaki stared straight ahead, blood red eyes half hooded and trimmed green eyebrows gracefully arched. He wore Armani, a strict suit to match a strict man, and he sat himself so elegantly in the backseat of the Cadillac that one might mistake him for a prince. His emerald green hair contrasted deeply with his pale white skin, made eerie by the light of the streets.

The girl beside him hesitated a glance at Gentaki, moving her head the slightest fraction to observe him before returning her own crimson gaze to the window. She watched the scenery in a careless manner, interested but frightened by the prospect of leaving her father. This midnight trip through North Tokyo was not simply for pleasure and Mizumi knew it well, but she had not the courage to ask about their destination; Gentaki was harsh about the strangest things. Her dancers legs twitched inside her jeans, making her want to bolt from the car.

The Cadillac pulled to a stop in front of an apartment building eight stories high, built on a foundation not nearly strong enough to support the emotions and problems above. The windows were cracked, the brick scratched and dulled with age, and many stray stones and boards lay strewn across the stiff lawn. When the driver turned off the engine and stepped out of the car, Mizumi made as though the open her own door, only to find a stern gloved hand gripping her arm.

"Toro will get the door for you, Mizumi. Be patient and let him earn his pay," Gentaki said in a rough, gravelly business voice.

Startled by the red glare burning holes through her own eyes, Mizumi nodded shyly and looked down, studying the perfectly groomed carpet until Gentaki released her arm and Toro opened the door, allowing his mistress to step into the hot night air.

There were no crickets chirping as Mizumi surveyed the apartment building, only the distant honking of horns and screeching of arguing couples in the tenements above. The girl shuffled her feet, watching as Toro retrieved a small duffle bag from the trunk and waited for Gentaki to give him a signal. The streetlight caught Mizumi's hair, proving it to be the same emerald green as he fathers, though hers was curly and wild; she had restrained it with a red ribbon which matched her eyes.

Gentaki removed himself from the vehicle, standing to his full and impressive height of 6'4 before observing the building before him with disdainful eye. Sighing rather heavily, he jerked his head towards the entrance and Toro jumped to obey, hurrying quickly to open the door for his employer and his daughter. Mizumi remained rooted to the spot, looking around wide eyed as the tapping of her father's cane progressed towards the building.

"Mizumi, come now."

The girl jerked from her stupor and hurried after Gentaki and Toro, sneakers clapping on the concrete as she did so. Her fit dancer's body yearned to move free from the constraints of her father, but she knew her desires would have to wait a short trip up the stairs to her new home.

The inside lighting was yellow and fake, flickering in several areas as rats perused the hallways and dirt seemed to gather instantaneously on the walls. Gentaki moved purposefully behind Toro, who was shakily leading the way towards the stairs at the end of the hall. Mizumi watched the passing doors curiously; many of the numbers were incomplete and others hanging by a single screw, moving and squeaking as their entrance caused winds to blow through the drafty halls. As the trio treked up the stairs, Mizumi ran her soft hands along the metal banisters, the chipping paint rough against her palms. The trip from first to sixth and final floor seemed quite long, though it was the dull scenery of illegible graffiti and not the physical exertion which bothered Mizumi; her muscular legs could barely even feel the strain.

The sixth floor, unlike the floor below it, was open to the outside air and constrained by no walls; it appeared as though someone had surrepticiously decided to put extra apartments on the roof, though Mizumi convinced herself that it was simply strange architecture. There were only eight apartments on the sixth floor and Toro stopped abruptly in front of 607, dropping the duffel bag to the ground as he gave a sharp rap on the door.

Mizumi looked at the surrounding view of the city, noticing that she could see few building tops. She scrunched up her nose and turned her gaze dully to the door; she hated Tokyo, as well as all big cities. Despite the population, the entire place always seemed empty.

Rustling was heard from inside the apartment and Gentaki folded his gloved hands peacefully atop the silver dragon's head of his cane, looking as though he wanted to smirk quite badly as the door finally opened.

Ryuukoytsusei had been roused from a fairly good sleep, or at least one as deep as he ever got around to, and was quite pissed to hear visitors knocking on his door. He swore to himself as he pushed off the mattress that if his men weren't dying or close to it, he would personally kill every last one of them. The Dragon leader suspected that it was one of his followers, seeing as though his recently earned title "Lord of the North" seemed to mean "problem solver" the every scumbag around. In any case, Ryuu was thinking about not answering the door at all, if not for a nagging in the back of his mind.

When he opened the door to see his father standing placidly before him, he wanted to shut it in the thin man's face.

"What the hell do you want?" Ryuu asked in a low, rolling bark.

Gentaki observed his eldest son, who had exceeded him in height and musclemass by an extrodinary amount. This impressed him little, though the businessman's eyes strayed to the bulge on Toro's hip in a meaningful fashion; based on previous encounters with his son, Gentaki knew that firearms might come in handy. Ryuukoytsusei was wearing only jeans and no shirt, giving his visitors a full view of his rock solid chest, which was littered with scars; he'd obviously seen many fights and lost very few.

After a moment of silence, during which Ryuukoytsusei raised his eyebrow curiously as though to say, "get on with it," Gentaki finally replied, "I have business to attend to in France and I won't be returning for an indefinite amount of time."

"Is that supposed to impress me?" Ryuu asked boredly, lowering his emerald eyes and preparing to shut the door.

Gentaki's elegant hand barred the way, proving that he was much stronger than he appeared. "Don't cross me, Ryuukoytsusei, I'm no longer a Japanese man. I'll willingly kill you in an American fashion if you so choose."

Ryuukoytsusei looked as though he wanted to strangle his father, though he wisely said nothing. He knew that Gentaki was a powerful man with powerful means and an easily offended manner.

Gentaki continued. "The business I'll be conducting overseas is the kind I wish to do alone and without distraction. Therefore, I'll be placing Mizumi in your care."

As he said this, Gentaki gestured to the girl beside him with his free hand; Ryuu's eyes followed the gesture and widened slightly, as though noticing the girl for the first time. He looked at her curiuosly, brow furrowed and eyes unreadable as he let his eyes wash over her from head to toe. Mizumi looked at him with the same sort of curiosity before Gentaki saw fit to break the moment.

"Is that clear?"

Ryuu didn't miss the commanding tone in his father's voice and he snarled harshly, "I don't take orders from you, old man, I have my own agenda. You might be some kind of hotshot in America, but these are my streets now. A Jericho 941 won't save you here."

Gentaki smirked at his son's mention of the pistol on Toro's belt, though his lips were devoid of humor. "Your streets don't hold a candle to my empire, boy. You'd do well to remember that." When Ryuu growled, Gentaki's cruel smirk widened. "You still have the rage you've always had, Ryuu."

"Don't fuck with me, old man."

Mizumi watched the exchange between her father and Ryuukoytsusei, silently marvelling at the physical similarities in father and son. She hadn't seen Ryuu for many years and his physical appearance surprised her; he was so hard and bitter now.

"Do what you want with her," Gentaki said dismissively. "She won't listen to a thing I say, so I doubt you'll be any different. I gave up trying with her; she's rude and unruly like her mother."

Ryuu tensed visibly at the mention of his mother, narrowing his eyes as he murmured dangerously, "Don't even talk about her, you selfish bastard."

"Mizumi, since you've seen fit to disobey me," Gentaki continued as though he'd never heard his son's protest, "You can try your hand at the real world. Don't be surprised if it comes back to bite you in the ass."

And with one last crimson look and an eeries smirk, Gentaki turned on his elegant heels with Toro following smartly. The pair disappeared down the stairs and neither Mizumi nor Ryuu moved before the Cadillac's engine roared to life and disappeared down the street, joining the melee of late night traffic in dirty downtown Tokyo.

Mizumi turned her gaze upwards, meeting eyes with her brother bravely. She studied him for a moment before saying almost conversationally, "You've gotten a lot taller."

Her voice was childlike and highpitched, though not in an annoying way. She seemed eternally curious about all things, an air which clung to her like rain inside a cloud. Ryuu was silent, looking at the small girl standing there with a duffel bag at her feet.

"How old are you," he asked with little or no readable emotion.

Mizumi replied, "16 in two weeks."

"16," Ryuu said dully. After a moment, he opened the door and motioned inside. "There's one matress and one couch. Pick whichever one you want."

Mizumi leaned down and easily lifted her duffel bag, walking inside the dingy and sparse apartment as Ryuu closed the door behind him. There was a kitchen area, one bathroom, a matress and a couch. There were a total of three actual rooms in the apartment, one being the living room, another being Ryuu's bedroom, and the last being empty. The carpet was threadbare and the walls dim, though Mizumi could tell the place was not unclean. Finally, she set down her duffel bag by the couch, which was humongous and overstuffed.

"I'll sleep here," she said decisively.

Ryuu nodded once, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing a box of cigarettes before lighting one with the lighter from his pocket; the pin prick orange cast a glow over Ryuu's ruggedly handsome gace and Mizumi watched interestedly.

"I don't know what kinda fuckin' weird rules the old man set up for you, but mine are gonna be simple," he said stiffly. Mizumi watched her brother intently to show that was listening; Ryuu continued. "One, no drugs in here; I don't mess with that shit and it reeks to hell. Two, you're goin' to school in the morning and you're goin' every day yer able. I don't want you bein' stupid. And last, don't go anywhere after nine at night without me. You mighta been able to do that shit in Boston, but it's not gonna fly here; you'll get rape and carved up."

Despite her brother's vial language, Mizumi only nodded and said, "Yes sir."

Ryuu paused and shifted his gaze to her, taking a long drag on his cigarette. Smoke poured out his mouth and nostrils as he mumbled, "And don't fuckin' call me sir. You're my sister, not my slave. It's Ryuu."

Mizumi nodded carefully, not quite knowing what would make Ryuukoytsusei mad; everything made her father mad and it had been quite a while since she'd last seen her brother. Almost eight years in fact. "Okay, Ryuu."

Ryuu and Mizumi met eyes, crimson dancing with crimson before Ryuu straightened up and mumbled, "Did he do weird shit to you?"

Knowing he meant their father, Mizumi replied cautiously, "Not with, like, sex or something. He's just not a very good person."

Ryuu took another drag on his ciagarette, seeming to digest and process the information for a moment, before he finally sighed and said quietly, "Yeah, fine. It's late, get some sleep. I'm getting up at 6 to meet at headquarters and you're coming with me."

As Ryuu retreated towards his room, Mizumi asked curiously, "What's 'headquarters?'"

Ryuu paused in the doorway, looking over his shoulder so that his face and hair were framed by the moonlight. His eyes were a blood red as he replied smoothly, "Headquarters of the North Tokyo Dragons, kid. Congratulations; you've just become a member."

And with that, the dragon demon closed the door behind him, leaving Mizumi standing solemnly in the bare living room.

**Thanks for reading guys; I'm glad the story is finally getting off the ground. Expect the first chapter within the next two weeks because I've already started work on it. I'm getting this out there to start the ball rolling; our sequel journey has begun!**

**Please review to tell me what you think. **

**KOLU**


	2. Capoeira

**Here we go, first chapter! I'm adding the profiles slowly but surely, since dumping all of them in at once would be quite unprofessh. So, here it is, the first installment in the sequel! But first, we're going to answer some questions that I received:**

_**What does Abuna i Dansu mean?**_

**My bad. It means "the dangerous dance."**

_**Is Ryuu's little sister going to have a love interest?**_

**Yes indeed. Someone we all know, actually, so get ready for that one.**

**Just as a heads up, I'm adjusting some profiles to fit my own desires so if it's not completely the way you wrote it, don't get heart broken; I'm just trying to make it contextual. Alrighty. Awayyyyyyy!**

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** _Capoeira: the Brazilian fighting dance often used to challenge newcomers._**

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Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes, staring at his ceiling and suddenly remembering that he was waking up in a strangely dark and different world. Ever since the battle, no matter what kind of beauty nature put on display, every morning seemed dreary and strange. Today marked the first day of school, though this had little to do with the actual events of the day; it was tradition that, on the first day of the school year, the gangs met at the Fangs warehouse for a grand meeting. Normally, it was a huge event with a good deal of pomp and circumstance, though Inuyasha had a distinct feeling that this year would be quite different. When the majority of the gang members gathered for the first time after the summer, back from vacations and working jobs, they would come to find that their leaders had all changed indefinitely.

Pushing himself off the bed, Inuyasha groaned; he was perpetually sore these days, as though his heavy thoughts caused him physical pain. He glanced at his bedside table only to find a framed picture of Kagome laughing joyfully at Race Wars. Sango had taken it and given it to him, wherein he'd promptly framed it, but he always seemed to forget it was there until he looked over by accident. He smiled slightly; she was so beautiful when she laughed. Feeling a certain strength enter him, he threw on a wife beater and jeans, grabbing his jacket on the way out the door; he could already smell eggs and bacon wafting up the stairs from the kitchen.

As he drew closer to the kitchen, Inuyasha overheard quiet voices.

"Just a mouthful of eggs, Sesshomaru. Please? For me?"

"Rin, please."

Inuyasha sighed, closing his eyes momentarily to will away the doubts and fears which seemed to be enveloping his conscious so often these days, and walked very loudly the rest of the way down. He entered to find Rin pouring herself a glass of orange juice, lips tight and normally bright brown eyes oddly dull. She was wearing black leather pants and a plain wife beater underneath her jacket, though this was her recent choice of dress. The boisterous Wildcat leader couldn't seem to make herself dress the way she had before. Not after being stripped and tortured.

"Morning," Inuyasha said gruffly, earning a grunt from Sesshomaru and a quiet hello from Rin.

As Inuyasha sat down beside his brother, he noticed the growing hollows of his cheeks and the pale color of his skin. "Hey, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha started, looking as though he were going to say something important.

Sesshomaru removed his reading glasses, setting aside the morning paper to observe his brother politely. "Yes?"

Inuyasha couldn't seem to find any words as he looked his brother right in his hollow eyes, framed by dull silver hair and the palest complexion he could remember seeing. Sesshomaru not only looked like a ghost, but the skeleton of a once strong man. Inuyasha didn't like to think this to himself, but seeing Sesshomaru sick like this hurt him. He couldn't possibly voice the worries festering inside of him out loud.

"Nothing, I forgot. I'll tell you later," Inuyasha finally managed to say.

Sesshomaru calmly replaced his glasses, which were looking oddly large on his now thin face, and resumed his morning reading. Inuyasha found himself startled as a plate of eggs, bacon and toast appeared before him on the table. He looked up to find Kaede's wrinkled face smiling warmly at him, despite the obvious tension in the room.

"Good mornin' to ye, Inuyasha," she said, bowing her head slightly and giving him a wink out of her good eye. She moved back towards the stove, red house dress fluttering slightly in the morning breeze which drifted in through the open windows.

Inuyasha filled his plate with food, watching out of the corner of his eye as Sesshomaru continued to read the paper serenely. "You want somethin', Shomo?" Inuyasha finally asked with a gesture to the food, looking inquisitively at his brother.

"No thank you," came the Fang leader's reserved reply.

Trying to seem light hearted, Inuyasha continued, "Oh c'mon, you expect to make the football team without any bacon for breakfast? Gotta have some meat, man."

"Inuyasha, I doubt that forgoing bacon will prevent me from making varsity for the fourth time."

Rolling his eyes in exasperation, Inuyasha threw up his hands in defeat and glanced up at Rin, who had watched the exchange almost hopefully. The girl sighed and shook her head, forcing orange juice down her throat when all she wanted to do was cry out of sheer desperation. Kaede continued to cook silently at the stove, broad back unmoving.

Loud footsteps drew everyone's attention to the doorway as Shitora came sauntering in, jacket thrown over her shoulder. She was wearing around the same thing as Rin, though she hadn't worn nearly as much makeup as usual. After much deliberation, the hanyou girl had decided that wearing makeup in front of the other Fang members would make her seem girly and incapable, which was far from the truth. Without makeup, she looked remarkably soft and rather pretty, as opposed to her usual harsh features.

"Hey everybody," she said, throwing up a hand as she grabbed a piece of toast from the platter Kaede had generously set out.

"Hey Tora," Rin said brightly, taking a seat beside her friend to distract her focus from Sesshomaru; it was all she could do not to think of him wasting away before her eyes.

"Yo," Shitora replied between mouthfuls of toast. She threw her silver hair over the back of her chair as she began chugging straight from the milk carton on the table.

"Glass," Kaede said sternly, setting one down before her young charge before giving the girl a warning eye and returning to her cooking. Chastened, Shitora poured herself a cup and began quietly drinking from it.

"So," Rin began, crossing her arms on top of the table, "Ready for school?"

Shitora snorted. "The only reason I'm even going is cause I have to keep my GPA up to stay in dance."

Rin cocked an eyebrow. "So you're really serious about dance, then? I mean, I know you did it up at boarding school, but wasn't that just to fulfill your fine arts quotient?"

This brought a slight blush to Shitora's cheeks and she tried to hide it behind her milk glass. "Well, dancing is pretty alright. I might try to get out there for real, you know, after school."

At this, Inuyasha glanced up almost belligerently. "Hey, you never told me that."

"And?" Shitora asked rudely, rolling her eyes as she downed the last of her milk and rose from the table. "I don't broadcast everything I think and do, Inuyasha. But if it bothers you, fine. Shitora is walking to the sink. Shitora is putting down her glass. Shitora is walking out the door to go wake up Ranbou at his house. Shitora will see you at the warehouse in half an hour. Shitora says goodbye." And with this, the silver haired girl grabbed her messenger bag from the door pegs and rushed out the door in a storm of jingling chains and zippers.

Inuyasha growled slightly. "Smartass," he murmured, rising dully to put his own plates in the sink.

Rin reluctantly turned her attention to Sesshomaru, forcing a smile. "Ready to go?"

"Yes, Koi," Sesshomaru replied obligingly, folding the paper into its original state and rising to put on his jacket. Rin noticed that the thing practically dwarfed his bony frame now and she gulped, fighting down cries and protests. "Let's go."

Inuyasha watched his brother and girlfriend leave through the front door and he shook his head, murmuring, "Bye, Kaede."

Kaede turned to address the middle Taisho child, nodding slightly. "Goodbye, Inuyasha. Have a good day." As an afterthought, she added, "And try not to get in any more fights this year. I hate receiving those calls and I'm sure you know that."

"Yeah," Inuyasha said dismissively, hurrying out the door without another word.

Kaede sighed and began washing the morning's dishes, noticing how strange it was to wash two and not three. Despite her skills in the art of medicine, not even Kaede could understand what was ailing Sesshomaru. Of course, not even she could dissect the enigma of his many complexities; even after eighteen years of caring for him, Kaede still found him to be quite the mystery.

Kouga sighed pleasantly, readjusting the comfortable hold he had around Ayame's naked waist. The two had yet to rise from bed, despite the growing sunlight and the progressing minutes. Ayame smiled as she interlaced her hand with Kouga's and lifted them, observing his tan fingers against her pale ones.

"You have small hands," Kouga murmured curiously, unlocking their hands and placing them palm to palm. Kouga's fingertips surpassed Ayame's by at least and inch.

Ayame cocked her head to the side, red curls sprawled out across the white sheets. "I've never noticed; they are kinda small. Or maybe yours are big."

Grinning wickedly, Kouga pushed himself up until he was suspended directly above a curious Ayame. "You know what they say about big hands..."

"Big gloves?"

With this, Kouga began to tickle Ayame ferociously and she burst into hysterical laughter, trying to squirm away from his grip but finding it ultimately impossible.

As Shitora entered through the front door, her sensitive ears were met with the sounds of what appeared to be incredibly giggly morning sex coming from Kouga's room. The girl grew rather red in the face as she mumbled mutinously to herself, dropping her bag on the table before moving through the Spartan living room towards Ranbou's room. She pushed the slightly ajar door open, peering inside to find the blinds closed and Ranbou sleeping quietly on. He looked rather peaceful, though this only made Shitora laugh; he was hardly peaceful when awake.

Leaning down, she kneeled beside the bed, which was consequently just a mattress on the floor, and shook Ranbou's naked shoulder gently. "C'mon, Bo."

The wolf demon snorted and rolled over onto his stomach, burying his face in his pillow and continuing to sleep. Shitora let out a stream of air and repeated, "Up, Ranbou, get up."

When Ranbou still showed no signs of rising, Shitora crawled onto the mattress and prepared to give him another shake when her eyes caught sight of his left shoulder, which still bore the scars of the battle; she would always remember his cry of pain as the two demons ambushed him in the street fight. Unconsciously, the girl reached out her pale hands and just grazed her claws over the raised skin when Ranbou suddenly rolled onto his back and grabbed Shitora around the waist, flipping them over until he was staring down at her.

"Don't touch that," he mumbled, ice blue eyes twinkling with mirth as Shitora stared up at him, wide eyed.

His long black hair brushed her cheek as it fell over his shoulder and Shitora brushed it away, laughing slightly. "You dumb bastard, you scared the shit out of me! Pretending to be asleep, little asshole."

Ranbou grinned, full fanged, as he pushed off the bed, walking towards his chest of drawers. It was then that Shitora noticed his boxers for the first time; they were white satin, decorated with green shamrocks. "Nice man panties, wolfboy."

Glancing down at his boxers, Ranbou replied defensively, "Hey, they're lucky. Gotta wear 'em this week for football, make sure I'm captain."

Shitora rolled her eyes, leaning up on one elbow. "They voted you captain last fall, dumbass, Sesshomaru told me in one of his letters. It's not like they'll un-vote you."

As he buttoned his jeans, Ranbou let out a barking laugh. "You still remember letters about me from last fall, Sukini? How long did you have a crush on me for?"

"I didn't have a crush on you!" Shitora protested, narrowing her amber eyes.

"Yeah, okay."

"Seriously, I didn't!"

Ranbou just continued to grin as he pulled on his wife beater and ducked down near the bed, kissing the top of Shitora's head. "Right, baby girl. Keep on telling yourself that. But I'm irresistible."

Shitora sighed as Ranbou helped her to her feet and together they progressed into the living room, where the undeniable sounds of Ayame's laughter could still be heard. Shitora blushed once more and Ranbou cocked an eyebrow, walking boldly up to Kouga's door and banging on it with his closed fist. "Hey, pup! Get up, it's time to go! Stop screwing for like one damn second, good lord!"

With this, he walked calmly into the kitchen and retrieved a box of cereal from the cupboard, throwing a handful of cheerios into his mouth. Shitora giggled at the yelp of surprise and the sounds of knocking and banging coming from Kouga's room before she joined Ranbou in the kitchen. She pushed herself up onto the counter and let her feet knock gently against the wooden cupboards below, biting her lip as she observed the bags under Ranbou's eyes; she knew he was still turning out assassinations by the day, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was taking more of a toll on him than she knew.

"Ran? Are you feelin' okay?" she asked.

Ranbou glanced sideways at her as he positioned his head under the faucet to drink the tap water. "Yeah," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Nothin', you just look really tired is all," Shitora muttered, ears drooping slightly; the very sight made Ranbou want to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay, but Ranbou Ookami wasn't a liar.

The wolf demon moved towards the counter and placed his hands on the table top, one on each side of his girlfriend. He leaned in closely, angling his head upwards at a handsome degree to observe her through narrowed eyes. "I'll be alright as long as yer here with me, Sukini. So if you don't leave, I'm fine."

Shitora looked rather stunned and was about to say something when Kouga and Ayame came rushing through the door, both pulling their wife beaters on in a panic. Ayame got her shirt unfortunately stuck on the clasp of her bra and was making strange grunting sounds as she attempted to pull it down. Shitora sighed and gave the shirt a yank, nodding as Ayame called a thank you and hurried out the front door without explanation.

"She's gotta check on the kids," Kouga explained, calmly pouring himself a glass of milk.

"Wow, pouring yourself a glass, I'm impressed," Shitora said wryly, remembering her own trouble that morning.

After downing his milk, Kouga replied, "Yeah, Bo and I made a deal to use cups cause I don't want his diseases or whatever the hell else is in his mouth. So we both do it."

As Kouga turned to put his glass in the sink, Ranbou mouthed, "I never do," complete with waving hand motions. Shitora giggled and Kouga shot her a strange glance, asking, "What are you laughing at?"

"Oh, I was just thinking how if Inuyasha got sick, I'd be next; we both drink straight from the carton," she covered easily.

Kouga shuddered slightly, leaning back against the counter as he murmured, "Yeah, well you wouldn't want anything Inuyasha could pass to ya, seeing as though it might be one of the big five and those are no good."

Shitora's lips grew tight at the mention of the "big five," a colloquial name given to the five recognizable demon diseases. Since those with demon blood possessed a stronger immune system than humans, they were rarely susceptible to normal viruses like the flu or food poisoning. The "big five," known to demon doctors as Knockturn's Pentagram after the father of their discovery, Lewis Knockturn, were quietly feared amongst the demon clans because they were fatal more than 40 of the time. The diseases were Ropads syndrome, Casacht's disease, Fuar Influenza, Silim's Disease, and the most feared of all, Marbhan's Syndrome. Any mention of one of these names could send demon mothers into stern fits.

As the three processed out the door, Shitora mentioned regretfully, "Guess you heard about the Silim's outbreak in France?"

Ranbou nodded grimly. "Yeah, it was on the news last night. They think it started in a preschool. How sick is that? I mean, little kids with Silim's? That's..."

"Scary," Kouga finished for his brother, his voice a low murmur.

The trio exchanged rather nervous glances before they each hopped on their motorcycles, donning their helmets and racing towards the Fangs warehouse. Though they tried to put the recent outbreak out of their mind, something about it was haunting. Just like the battle.

Kagome anxiously placed a cigarette between her lips, lighting it and leaning back her head as she took a deep drag. The thundering sounds of restless gang members and the caustic smell of cigarette smoke were like a full on assault as noises ricocheted off the rafters of the warehouse; Kagome couldn't remember seeing so many people since the Gackt concert she'd attended.

All shapes and all sizes, the gangs had come together in full to attend the opening ceremonies. Kagome had known there were many members in totale, but Rin hadn't reminded her until that morning that more than half the gang population had the summer off. Those that had other jobs or things to take care of would leave for the summer, leaving only the core members and their close friends to work in the shop. Now, they were back full strength and Kagome had to admit: she hadn't been quite prepared. The girl was about to crush her cigarette and face the music when she realized that the only way to take Kikyo's spot was to borrow Kikyo's confidence for the occasion. Knowing that image was an important part about human perception, Kagome pushed down her sunglasses and unzipped her Wildcats jacket, revealing her tight fitting black corset top and tantalizing gap between shirt hem and low rise leather pants waist.

A sea of black and red greeted her as Kagome entered the warehouse, walking with purposeful boot clicks which made her ass rock side to side. She made her way easily through the crowd, which seemed to part for her as the men and women of the South laid eyes upon their new core leader. As Kagome neared the front of the warehouse, where Rin had assured her she would be, Kagome ran across a road block. A girl with mahogany brown hair and bright yellow eyes was standing unmoving before her, a few inches shorter than Kagome but none less fierce. She wore a short black corset dress with a shining white jacket, one which Kagome knew well, and the girl's mouth was hard set; she obviously wasn't moving and she stared Kagome down to prove it.

Kagome narrowed her eyes slightly. Removing her cigarette, she said calmly, "I'm trying to get through."

The girl snorted and crossed her arms, causing her ample bosom to raise slightly. "Yeah, I can see that. Don't hold your breath."

"Do you have a problem with me?" Kagome finally asked, cocking an eyebrow and looking not impressed, but irritated.

"Yeah, I got a problem with you," the girl hissed in reply, taking a daring step nearer to Kagome as their stares never broke. "You think you can come in here and take Kikyo's place? Well ya can't. Yeah, so you're whoring it up with Inuyasha, big deal; you can act like Kikyo all you want but you'll never be her! I don't know who the fuck you think you are b-"

But before the girl could say another word, Kagome lowered her eyebrows and pushed the girl dismissively to the side, continuing through the crowd without so much as a goodbye. Some of the onlookers concealed laughs at the brunette's miffed expression as she regained her balance.

"Guess she's tougher than you thought, Enju," said another brunette who'd witnessed the scene; her eyes were a startling Ookami blue with deceptive yellows and greens clouding the cerulean vision beneath. She watched Kagome's retreating back with a sort of wistfulness in her stare.

"Shut up, Katia, you stupid bitch," Enju snarled fiercely, stomping off towards the back of the warehouse with a storm in her step.

Katia watched her go, sighing slightly and allowing her thin looking body to shrug; the dark rings around her eyes and animalistic markings above and beneath them betrayed her as a leopard demon and her White Jacket proved her to be a Wildcat.

"Guess you saw that?" came another girl's gruff voice, obviously muffled around a cigarette. The owner of this voice, a girl with long purple hair and a wild sort of air about her, joined Katia as she watched the last sight of Kagome disappear into the crowd.

Katia glanced up at the newcomer, whose white complexion rivaled the very color of snow. "Knight," the brunette greeted quietly.

Knight, who had a good four inches of height on Katia, looked down at her friend as she crossed her brawny arms, revealing the hint of a red tattoo on her shoulder blade. She held her Wildcats jacket boredly, looking almost unimpressed with the splendor of the crowd before her.

"Yeah, I saw it," Knight replied. "Enju's fighting the wrong battle. It doesn't matter if we like our newKijo or not; Rin chose her and we have to trust the Toumoku's judgment."

"Tigers always were obsessed with rank," Katia said almost disdainfully, meeting eyes with a rather miffed looking Knight who knew the shorter girl was half joking. Knight was indeed a white tiger demon and undoubtedly proud of the fact.

"Rank is important to leopards too, am I right? Or maybe you've just forgotten since none of us could respect our last leader anyway." With one last glance in the shorter girl's direction, Knight turned on her heels and clicked away, donning her jacket as the Wildcat roared proudly from her back.

As Kagome arrived at the head of the huge crowd, she saw that the other core members were already lounging around in the couch area, talking together and almost looking normal for the first time in weeks. Kagome smiled slightly and walked towards them, blushing when Inuyasha gave her a crude wolf whistle.

"Yeah, good morning to you too, horn dog," she laughed, giving him a quick peck on the lips before sitting on the couch arm beside her boyfriend. Turning pointedly to Rin, Kagome said sourly, "I've only been here for 2 minutes and already I've got an enemy. She started spouting stuff about how I'll never replace Kikyo and I'm only dating Inuyasha to be like her. I mean, seriously. She doesn't even know me yet!"

Hakkaku and Ginta glanced up at this description and sighed in unison, murmuring, "Enju," before shaking their heads in what appeared to be shame.

The others chuckled knowingly, leaving Kagome to look around in bewilderment. "What? Who's Enju?"

"The girl who just said all that to you, did she have brown hair, yellow eyes, and stripper clothes?" Kouga asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah," Kagome responded slowly, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at her friends.

"That's Enju," Ayame explained. "She's a wolf demon like us and we've all known her since we were kids. She's nice and everything, but she doesn't really take to strangers."

"You're telling me," Kagome mumbled, looking back out at the crowd; she could see several pairs of eyes attached to white jackets trained on her. "They look like they're perusing a meat shop. I'm finished."

"You're probably gonna have to beat one of em up before they get the picture," Ranbou said with a shrug, following Kagome's eyes to the front lines.

Miroku set down the beer he'd been sipping on, agreeing, "Yeah, we all had to set the assholes straight with a good ass kicking, Kagome. Just pick the time and place and lay down the law."

"Hit them?! Like get into a fight?!" Kagome asked incredulously, staring around wide eyed at the group.

They all shrugged and nodded, looking unfazed by the idea. Sesshomaru stepped in to explain, sounding as wise as usual despite his protruding bones. "Though everyone in this room has a brain, not all of them are putting it to use. Sometimes you have to establish your authority in an uncivilized way to bring about civility."

"Shomo oughta know; I think he had to fuck up five or six guys before they settled down," Inuyasha recalled, laughing slightly at the memory.

Kagome's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "Five or six? I'm doomed." She covered her face with her hands as Inuyasha rubbed her back soothingly, being sure to rake his claws over her spine in that way she loved.

"Don't sweat it, babe, they'll love you. But don't look weak; head up."

Kagome's head shot up and she let her hands drop to her lap, realizing that she'd almost displayed weakness. She needed to remember that this was like being out in the wild, trying to assert herself as leader of the pack. If they smelled fear, she'd be eaten alive to feed the hungry pack members.

"Let's do this now, before it gets too late," Sesshomaru said resolutely, standing and making his way towards Jakotsu's pick up truck, which the boy had solicitously parked inside the warehouse just for the occasion.

The other leaders followed and Kagome watched them go, furrowing her brow in confusion. "Where's Akago?" she asked Inuyasha quietly.

Those sitting near her overheard the question and seemed to realize his absence for the first time; they all swiveled their heads about, looking for a shock of white hair but finding none. "No idea," Sango murmured.

"Should we tell Sesshomaru? I don't think he's realized," Kagome pointed out.

"No need, we're here."

The teenagers turned to find Akago and Gan striding purposefully towards them. Akago looked rather cheerful, though his lily white arms were laden with papers, and he walked with his normal air of dignified command. Gan, on the other hand, looked rather irritated; her long blonde hair was positioned in a high ponytail, several pieces falling across her face in a pretty sort of way. She was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, both of which fit her quite tightly, arms also filled with stacks upon stacks of paperwork. Judging by the way she walked, she wasn't having the best of mornings.

"Sesshomaru and the others just went that way," Kagome informed Akago, who nodded his thanks before depositing the papers on the lounge table and jogging after his fellow leaders.

Gan practically threw down her arm load, though careful enough not to upset each carefully crafted stack, and plopped down moodily on the remaining couch arm.

"Bad day?" Sango asked tentatively.

"Nothing unusually horrid, but I did start off the morning with an argument. King Akago decided to be an ass and I had to deal with it," the girl replied hardly, crossing her leather clad arms and staring at Akago so fiercely, she might've set him aflame.

"Well, you look nice," Ayame mentioned, glancing the girl over and noticing how every single curve was accentuated.

Gan nearly bristled at the comment. "Thank you, but that's exactly the problem. These," she said acidically, gesturing to her clothes, "were that pretentious jerk's gift to me for my birthday."

Kagome squealed with delight. "It's your birthday? You didn't tell anyone! Happy birthday!"

"Thank you," Gan replied, nodding her head slightly as a blush crept up on her cheeks.

"Big 18, huh?"

There was a slight silence as everyone looked at Gan expectantly. Finally, she responded, "No, big 16."

If the oblivious crowd of gang members had been quieter, one might have been able to hear crickets chirping in the background. Gan was met with such blank stares that she almost began to feel self conscious, but she finally found solace in her nails, which she began to chew methodically.

"16?" Miroku said finally, eyes the size of dinner plates. "Like, 16 years of age?"

"No, like Sixteen Candles, the eighties teen film," Gan replied dryly.

"Same difference," Kagome said in bewilderment; she was finding this morning more befuddling as it went on. "I thought you were older than me."

"Me too," Sango confessed, looking just as confused as her friend. "I mean, you're in our grade at school and you've been driving for two years now, right?"

"Well, I was trying to create an identity," Gan pointed out. "My fake ID in rather impressive."

"Oh, a fake idea? Fuckin' sweet! Can I see it?" Inuyasha asked interestedly, though Gan's reply was cut off by a familiar and gut chilling wolf howl.

All eyes turned towards the pick up truck, where Ranbou's head was raised to the sky, mouth emitting the frightening sound. Shitora had been asleep on the couch, but her slumber lasted no longer when her ears twitched and she shot up, nearly falling off the couch.

Sesshomaru stepped forward on the tailgate, the other leaders standing sternly behind him. Several questioning eyes in the crowd had landed on Akago, who appeared unafraid and undaunted by the stares. Others had noticed Sesshomaru Taisho's physical atrophy.

"Welcome back to another year in South Tokyo," Sesshomaru said strongly, smirking slightly; this almost reassured the crowd that he was physically sound and several whooped and cheered, earning chuckles from the other leaders. "It's going to be a good year for many reasons. First of all, as I'm sure most of you have heard, Naraku Onigumo of the North is dead."

The response to this comment was deafening; she warehouse echoed with the howls, cheers, shouts and cries of jubilation which erupted from the crowd; many jumped and laughed and others shouted harsh words at the spirit of Naraku's ghost. Kagome leaned over towards Inuyasha and murmured, "Aw, they miss him."

Inuyasha muffled a laugh.

Sesshomaru settled the crowd with a simple gaze, which everyone present could feel before they saw it; the amber eyes of a Taisho could freeze an entire room. "Another reason that this year will be great is the acquisition of a new gang here in the South. I'm sure you all know of the Sharks, formerly of the North, and their leader Akago Tsume."

Where their had once been a cacophonous racket, there was now complete and total silence. The gang members exchanged glances, wondering if Akago's loyalty could be trusted; he had, after all, once been Naraku's ally. Others turned their eyes to the group of about 40 Sharks which were lounging on the left most side of the warehouse, watching the proceedings politely and without a sound; they hadn't moved since they entered the warehouse promptly at 8:25.

"Akago helped us through a war and if you doubt his loyalty, then you doubt my word," Sesshomaru said, voice so thunderous it resembled that of God himself.

When met with the insinuation that Sesshomaru was doubt-worthy, the crowd quickly lapsed into claps and cheers for the Sharks; Sesshomaru's word was absolute.

"Akago and Gan the Gun will be available for any questions after this meeting. If you need to see visible records of the Shark's assimilation into the South, Gan will be waiting in the lounge; she's willing to show the records to anyone with quandaries."

This announcement was met with another silence, though this one was more confused than anything.

"Toumoku, you mean 'he,' don't you?" one of the Fangs in the front of the crowd pointed out politely.

"Well, that's a difficult question," Sesshomaru replied tiredly, rolling his eyes to the sky.

In the lounge area, Gan gave a heavy sigh and rose to her feet, walking with clipped steps towards the pick up. Akago saw her coming and took one look at her face before moving the others back towards the cabin; she was obviously in a foul mood and not to be crossed. Sesshomaru courteously offered her a hand, which she took with a short thanks.

She turned and adressed the gaping crowd, looking almost bored with it all. "I'm me," was all she said, throwing out her arms and walking patronizingly in a circle. It was hard for the crowd to tell if Gan was agreeing to Sesshomaru's word slip or if she was dressed in a wig for some light joking.

While most were stunned into silence, a rather garulous Cobra asked loudly, "What, are ya some kinda crossdresser? A fag? An alien?"

"I'm complicated," Gan replied coldly, crossing her arms and sending the boy such a scathing stare that he cowered back towards his laughing friends. "The papers have been notarized by the Shark notary and sealed with both Akago and Sesshomaru's seal, so no one should have any questions. If you'd like, you may come take a look at them just to prove it to yourself."

With this, Gan climbed down from the pick up and returned calmly to the lounge where she resumed her position perched on top of the couch arm. The crowd buzzed with questions and gossip, but Sesshomaru sent them another silencing stare and the quiet resumed.

"Thirdly, the Wildcats have acquired a new core member; Kikyo Watanabe has moved to Paris."

At this, the men in the room gave a noticeable face fall and the women exhibited mixed responses, though most of them seemed rather relieved; at least now they didn't have to worry about their boyfriends being led into unfaithfulness.

"Kagome, if you could come up here please."

Kagome was about to take an unsure step off the couch when she remembered her new persona: gang Kagome. She pushed herself boldly off the arm and strode confidently towards the pickup, wherein she hopped up before Sesshomaru could even lower down his hand for assistance. She stood and looked fearlessly out at the crowd, almost faltering; _fuck, there's HUNDREDS of them! Where do they get all these people anyway? How big can the freakin' school be?! _Though her mind was filled with uncertainty, she only crossed her arms and gave the crowd a smirk.

"Rin has appointed Kagome Higurashi as a Wildcats core member. Those who were once in Kikyo's Nakama, please stay afterwards for a meeting with your new Kijo. As far as the rest of you go, the bulletin board will be back up within the next week and the job list posted. If you want to be rank reevaluated, please see Kouga or me. As a warning to you all, I will say this: Naraku may be dead but the majority of his followers are not. They are now under the rule of Ryuukoytsusei Tousen and you would all do well to watch your step. The North will rebuild itself in time and we must be ready. That is all."

Following this cryptic warning, the leader hopped down from the pick up truck and talking in the warehouse slowly resumed as gang members made their way out towards the myriad of cars and motorcycle parked in the large gravel pathway outside. Kagome had once thought the pathway was unnecessarily long and large, though she now saw that it was nearly too small.

She hurriedly caught up with Rin, grabbing her arm and hissing, "Hey, what are all these weird terms everyone keep using? What's a Kijo? Or a Nakama?"

Rin looked straight into her cousin's honest brown eyes, which were wide with terror, and pity filled her normally stern demeanor. "Okay, okay, calm down. _Kijo _is what you call a female core member, _Teishu _is a male core member, and _Toumoku _is any leader, male or female. A _Nakama _is the group which serves a core member. When the Nakamamembers talk about another core member or another leader, they normally add the 'dono' ending to be polite," she explained.

"Dono? But that's only for lords," Kagome said, puzzled.

"Um, yeah, normally."

"Holy, shit, Rin, I can't do this. I'm some kind of lord now? I can't do this!"

"Don't be silly Kagome, you're not a lord."

"Oh...really?"

"Yeah, of course not. You're a lady."

"I hate you."

Rin smirked slightly but threw a pointed look over Kagome's shoulder. "I know, I love you too. Looks like your Nakama is waiting for you. Better go face the wolves."

Scowling, Kagome growled, "Oh thank you Rin, you're making this _much _easier for me."

"Ta-ta, doll, I've got placed to be and people to see," Rin said airily, turning on her heels and marching away with a bounce in her step; seeing Kagome flustered obviously made her quite giddy.

Kagome could hear the murmurs of her Nakama behind her and she took a deep breath, thinking calmly to herself _you can do this; time to face the music. _Without leaving time for another doubt, Kagome turned on her heels and took in the sight of about 15 girls who were standing in a cluster some twenty feet away from her, giving her looks which could've meant a number of things. Knowing that she was only prolonging the inevitable by waiting, Kagome finally walked towards the group and put forth a warm smile, hoping it might throw some people off.

"Hey guys, I'm Kagome Higurashi and I'm you're new Kijo."

She was met with silence and the stares of fifteen obviously uncaring girls. Realizing that her warm smile had done nothing but make them skeptical, Kagome rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Okay, look, I know you guys already fuckin' hate me. I'm not blind or stupid or deaf. I just want to tell you that I'm not here to replace Kikyo or to make you guys forget her or to be better than her. Believe it or not, I know Kikyo and we're pretty good friends, so the last thing I want to do is be a bitch. Rin put me here because she thinks I can do the job, so I've got faith in her decision. I don't want this to be like a leader and followers thing, so if we all just act like adults and get along here, I think this is gonna work out for everyone involved."

At the end of her speech, several girls nodded and one or two even smiled, though the frowns stood out more than anything. One of these frowns belonged to Enju, who pushed her way forward with a scowl on her face.

"Listen, bitch, I don't know who you think you are, but we're not just gonna up and follow you like lost little pups. We were elected to Kikyo's Nakama and we're never gonna be part of yours! Kikyo will always be our leader!" Enju roared, leaning in so close to Kagome that their noses practically touched.

Kagome stared the girl down steadily, eyes half hooded and lips tight. When Enju finished her screaming declaration, Kagome asked coldly, "Are you finished?"

"No, bitch, I ain't finished!" Enju screeched, amber eyes nearly roving out of her head; several of the girls in the front line were preparing to look away for, if Enju leaned any farther forward, her ass was surely going to fall out of her corset dress.

"Give it a rest, Enju," Knight said sternly, moving out of the ranks until she was standing tall before the wolf demon like a strong white mountain. Her blue eyes flashed as she said proudly, "Kagome-dono is our Kijo now and you have nothing to say about it."

"Knight is right, Enju," came another voice, low and calm and resemblant of Sesshomaru. The girl who stepped forward to flank Knight was indeed a full dog demon, hair the color of midnight with blood red shocks running through it like liquids in oil. She, like Knight, looked strong and capable; Kagome felt as though they were presenting themselves as bodyguards, what with the way they were quickly providing a wall betwixt her and Enju.

"Of course you're gonna side with her, Kaira," Enju said rudely to the dog demon. "Just because she's dating one of your kind doesn't make her a fucking saint."

"Funny you should mention a saint, since Kikyo was far from one," another girl entered in. Her black hair shone a deceptive blue momentarily beneath the warehouse lights as she stepped up to flank Knight's left side. Her eyes were the color of the sky, mesmerizing and deep, though Kagome barely caught a glance at them before the girl turned her back to form another link in the bodyguard wall. From this angle, Kagome was able to see the girl's physique quite clearly and her eyes nearly bugged out of her head; this girl looked almost muscular enough to put Ranbou out of work. Toned, fit and formidable; Kagome felt nearly incapable beside the members of her Nakama.

"You too, Seila? The wolf clan should unite as one against this outsider!" Enju shouted harshly, though she took a noticeable step backwards; obviously Seila was one to be reckoned with.

"Gringa sawajra lashota menix rauhool, Enju," Seila barked in growling wolf's tongue. Her mysterious words were enough to make Enju pause and clench her fists before backing quietly towards the center of the Nakama, obviously finished with her outburst. "Do not mention the wolf clan if you plan to embarrass them," Seila concluded.

A silence met the confrontation, as though no one knew just how to start back up the conversation, though one of the friendlier looking girls in the front row offered, "You were saying, Kijo?"

Kagome felt a warm sensation embrace her as the girl addressed her as Kijo, as though she'd been given power and respect. It made her feel as though she could actually face these girls for, at least for the moment, they were willing to give her a chance.

"Yeah, I _was _saying," Kagome said strongly, giving Enju a piercing glare. "Ladies, we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. I want to get along with you, I want to lead you, and I want to help Rin make this the best year the Wildcats have ever seen, but I need everyone's cooperation to do that. Please, I don't expect you to trust me right off, but I can promise you this: I will earn my keep and your trust. You can take my word on that. And if someone wants to challenge me, I'm willing to meet them head on."

"Oh please, human. If one of us tried to 'challenge' you, you'd be dead before you hit the ground; you're no match for one of us," Enju interrupted, looking sour and irritated by her lack of support.

Kagome turned her stare to Enju, who met it insolently before the girl to her right nudged the wolf demon with her elbow, giving her a meaningful look. Enju scoffed and looked down at her feet, still looking mad enough to spit. Kagome drew in another breath and returned her gaze to the group at large. "I'll fulfill my duties as your Kijo. I only ask that you fulfill your duties as a Nakama in return. That's all; I would ask you all to say your names, but this is awkward enough as it is. I'll meet you all in turn when fate wants me to. Dismissed."

Kagome gave the group a nod and they all gave her one in return; with this Kagome turned to retrieve her bag from the lounge area. She'd only gone a few steps when she heard Enju's caustic voice say disdainfully, "'Dismissed?' What are we, some kind of fucking army? We're not your slaves, Higurashi."

Kagome rolled her eyes to the sky as she turned in one deft movement, removing a pistol from her belt and pointing it directly at Enju's forehead.

Their were gasps and curses as girls stumbled to get clear of the path between Kagome and Enju, all watching in horror as Kagome clicked back the release and half hooded her chocolate brown eyes. She still retained the calmness she'd procured that morning and, even in the face of a dissenting Nakama member, she refused to lose her dignified air. Enju's eyes had grown incredibly wide and, for the first time Kagome had seen, she actually looked frightened.

"Alright, Enju," Kagome said boredly, taking a slow step forward with her gun upraised as though she were going for an afternoon stroll. "You think you're pretty smart, think you know how this all works and how much of an idiot I am. You think I'm an outsider, a nobody, someone you can kick around until they finally leave and make way for the next Kikyo to jump right in and suck someone off. Alright. I guess you want to do this the hard way then."

With each word she drawled out, Kagome was drawing nearer and nearer to Enju, who by this time had began to raise her hands to the sky as though faced with an entire police force. The other girls watched in silence, wondering if Kagome was actually going to shoot Enju right before their eyes. It was then that Kagome did something strange.

She positioned the mouth of the gun right at her own temple and placed her other hand on her hip, staring coldly at Enju. Kagome could feel the cold metal against her skin as the others looked on in terror, wondering now if it was Kagome's life hanging in the balance.

"Let's play a little game, Enju," Kagome said, ignoring the horrified face on every surrounding girl. "It's like Russian roulette, only my gun is filled with bullets. I'll shoot myself if you can answer a single question about the gangs I ask you."

"What, are you fucking nuts?" Enju asked nervously, still looking shaken by the gun which had been pointed so recently at her own head. "You're the outsider here, Higurashi, not me."

"We'll see about that." Kagome began walking forward once more, the pistol still trained on her head and her index finger on the trigger. "Who held the fastest motorcycle race time in 1981?"

Enju faltered, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. Finally, she stuttered out confusedly, "Uh, Mr. Ookami?"

"Wrong, Tadeki Moriashi, Cobra member from 1978-1981. Who is the leader of the Kyoto Rhythms?"

Walking backwards to match Kagome's progressing steps, Enju guessed hesitantly, "Morokai Sting?"

"No, Razz Rukiano," Kagome shot back, walking with great authority towards the wolf demon girl before her; Enju was looking more frightened by the moment, as though she were being faced down by her greatest nightmare. "Where do Sango and Miroku go on the second Tuesday of every month?"

"Th-the leader's meeting?" Enju blubbered, stumbling backwards until she tripped and fell flat on her backside.

"Tai-Fujishu to gather parts. How does Bankotsu like his salmon?"

"Grilled?" Enju squeaked, skittering backwards on the floor as Kagome neared her.

"Trick question; Bankotsu is allergic to salmon. What is Ranbou's favorite band?"

"Um..."

"Nickelback. What year model is Jakotsu's pick-up?"

"I don't kn-"

"1987. How tall is Souten Mitsarugi?"

"How the hell-"

"4'6. What do we keep in the third file cabinet, fourth drawer?"

"I-"

"Yearly fiscal reports. What year were the Wildcats founded?"

Enju blinked, glancing up at Kagome from where she was cowering on the floor. The girl got a sort of twinkling look in her eyes and she smirked, pushing herself to her feet and staring her leader right in the eyes. Amber danced with brown as she answered smugly, "1971."

The others exchanged extremely anxious glances, wondering if this would be the end of Kagome Higurashi; they all knew the date well and each would profess Enju correct.

But Kagome merely stared her down, replying coolly, "Wrong. The Wildcats were originally the dance team at the high school but later united with local thugs for protection when gang activity became prevalent in the early seventies. It wasn't until 1975 that the papers were signed and the Wildcats were given full gang status. The original founding date is June 14th, 1975."

The group was wrapped in silence as Enju's face fell and she took a large step back, colliding with one of the other girls as her path veered to the left. Kagome, unfettered, removed the gun from her temple and said quietly, "Who's the outsider now?"

Enju's entire frame was shaking and the girl behind her supported her under the elbows, as though she might keel over at any moment. Kagome replaced the gun in its discreet holster on the back of her hip and nodded to the girls. "I'll see you at school in an hour, ladies." With this, Kagome Higurashi retrieved her things from the lounge and walked quickly and purposefully out of the warehouse, leaving her Nakama behind as they watched her with a mix of fascination, terror and respect. Obviously, Kagome was not to be crossed. Ever.

Mizumi Tousen stood quietly beside her brother as he addressed a roomful of formidable tattooed men, each with his fair share of scars, muscles and leather articles of clothing. Though Mizumi looked innocent and naive, she was used to men like this; her father dealt with a good many of them on a regular basis and she'd learned not to judge a book by its cover. No, the real thing that surprised her about all this was her brother. She'd always thought that when he left home at age 14, he would make something of himself, something completely unlike the father he despised. As she observed the goings on with her observant eye, Mizumi sadly noted that Ryuu was turning out more like their father than even he realized.

"-but don't do anything stupid. We don't have the numbers to fuck with the Fangs right now, so just keep your heads on straight and don't disobey me, or I'll kill you. Alright, you can leave."

The Dragons all gave a resounding, "Hai," as though responding to a commander, before they began heading en masse towards the door, talking dully with one another. Ryuu watched them go with a stern crimson eye, casting a glance down at his younger sister before he realized there was another issue to be dealt with.

"Mizumi."

The girl turned her emerald green head up to face her brother, red eyes mirroring his as she asked politely, "Yes?"

"No matter what Kagura says to you, I don't wanna hear about you hangin' out with Vixens or even comin' close to them, alright?" Ryuu said insistently, remembering the vial, half naked Vixens which so eagerly forced themselves on the nearest Northerner to fit their fancy.

"Sure," Mizumi replied before furrowing her brow. "Kagura who?"

As though the answer the girl's question, the two dragons turned at the sound of Ryuu's name. Kagura came strutting up, blood red lips the same color as her eyes. She was wearing a leather mini skirt which Ryuu judged might've been the size of his grease rag in the garage and a halter top which showed off enough breast to be considered an undergarment. Mizumi looked at the woman in amazement; by her estimation, this woman could be quite pretty if she would put on normal clothes and not wear so much makeup. Come to think of it, she reeked of human perfume as well.

"I just came up to meet your darling little sister," Kagura cooed, bending down to level with Mizumi who was a good eight inches shorter than her, due to the height of the Vixen's heels.

"Hello," Mizumi said sweetly, not wanting to be rude to her brother's friend.

"I'm Kagura and you look like Vixen material, little girl," Kagura purred, reaching out one pale finger and tipping Mizumi under the chin.

But before another word could be uttered, Ryuukoytsusei gave a growl and smacked Kagura's hand away. "Don't touch my sister, Kagura. Don't even think about it; she's a Dragon."

Kagura's smile fell, replaced quickly by a frown as she stood to her full height, cocking one eyebrow skeptically. "This little girl a Dragon? I think you're dreaming, Ryuu."

"And I think you're a stupid bitch whore, Kagura. If I say she's a Dragon, then she's a Dragon. Don't fuck with me, woman," Ryuu replied in a tone he reserved uppity girls and petulant children. And sometimes crying men about to die at his hand.

Kagura scowled and gave a small "harumph," turning on her heels before storming away towards the Vixen's corner of the warehouse. It was decorated with stolen velvets and gaudy furniture, a small gypsy haven for lost girl's who wanted so much more than the life they currently lived on their knees. Ryuu watched Kagura go with a frown on his face, noticing that Kanna was still alive when he caught a glimpse of snow white hair and skin. He wondered for a moment why Naraku had let her live, even after Akago's betrayal, but he suddenly remembered. Apparently, she gave one hell of a blow j-

"Ryuu?"

Blinking, the Dragon leader glanced down at his sister, who was looking quizzically up at him. "Yeah, what?"

"Why were you so rude to her? She was just being polite to me."

"Kagura's never polite, kid. She sleeps around with everyone who wants a fuck, all the Vixens do. They were Spider sex slaves, but now they don't know what the hell to do because Naraku's dead and his boys've lost the heat. Don't mess around with them," Ryuu replied dismissively, running one hand over the stubble growing on his jaw.

"Right. Well, don't we have to go to school?"

For a moment, looking at his sister's almost sarcastic little face, Ryuu thought he was going to smile. It instead came out as a smirk. "What, starving for an education?"

"I just want to get to dance class," Mizumi replied quietly, obviously unwilling to deal with her brother's teasing.

Ryuu let out an irritated and thin sounding sigh before withdrawing his keys, muttering, "Yeah, well, good luck getting in with the dance crowd, kid. Kids are shipping in from China to dance at this school."

And it was true; South Tokyo High School had one of the most renowned dance schools in the nation and was thought of as a good stepping stone for aspiring dancers looking to pursue it as a profession in college. The dance program was led by a very skilled ballerina who had once danced on the stages of France, Italy and America. The dance program at South Tokyo was formidable and competitive.

"I know," was Mizumi's quiet reply, eyes narrowing cutely. Ryuu noticed that his sister seemed unfazed by the idea of a challenge. He smirked once more; then his first impression was correct. She really did have the dragon spirit after all.

"You dance a lot back home?" he asked.

Mizumi was almost touched by her brother's attempt at conversation and, in kind, she decided to humor him. They began walking towards his black Mustang GT as they talked. "Yeah, seven hours a day. I went to a dance academy."

"Seven?" Ryuu echoed, almost surprised; Ryuukoytsusei Tousen was never surprised, only amused. But seven hours a day?

"I was in the advanced class, so they were pretty intense; most of those girls had wanted to dance since they were babies."

Sighing a little, Ryuu ducked down into the driver's seat and murmured gruffly, "Well, you might be able to keep up then; just don't go crazy and stop eating like the rest of them skinny bitches."

"Okay," Mizumi said simply, smiling at her older brother so brightly that he thought she might break in two. She was really just trying to get him to freak out, but Ryuu did none of that and instead started the engine, pulling out of the parking lot and driving towards South Tokyo High School.

**Hey everyone; well, one chapter under our belts! This is shorter than I normally go, but I'm trying to get off to a start which is the least confusing as possible. So, if you have any quandaries about any of this, just let me know and we'll get cracking!**

**KOLU**


	3. Santal

**I'll leave the notes until the end; read on, but not unless you have some time. This chapter is almost 20,000 words long. **

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_The Santal: A dance named after a tribe of peoples who rebelled violently against the British Empire; earthy and carnal, the dance reflects the inner violence of the human soul. _

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Kagome exited the warehouse with electric jitters running up and down her arms; she certainly hadn't planned to point her gun at Enju's head, and especially not at her own. It had really been a passing fancy, though she might never say that. But Enju had crossed the line with her comments and a leader needed to stand up for her honor and respect. Or had she overreacted?

"How did it go, Kijo?"

Turning abruptly, Kagome noticed Inuyasha for the first time, leaning up against his Lamborghini Diablo with a small smile on his face. He looked quite handsome there, amber eyes half hooded as the summer breeze toyed with his silver hair. Feeling almost at ease, Kagome sighed and allowed her leader's facade to fall.

"It went...interesting."

"Interesting?" Inuyasha asked confusedly. "Whadya mean?"

"Well, I got kinda mad and took out my gun and pointed it at Enju, then at myself...it's complicated."

Inuyasha continued to stare straight ahead, eyes wide, even when Kagome made her way around the car to the passenger's seat. "Interesting," Inuyasha agreed finally, ducking into the driver's seat and starting the engine confidently. It purred and growled beneath his hands, causing him to smile; Kagome giggled slightly.

"Two weeks and you're still almost pee yourself when you start it up," she joked, earning a snort from Inuyasha.

He removed his jacket and tossed it in the back seat, feeling the air conditioning cool the sweat on his skin as he pulled out of the gravel parking lot. "I wasn't even close to pissing myself, thank you. But it is a hot car."

"Oh, no doubt," Kagome agreed, grinning still. Her brown eyes twinkled with mirth, though she held her tongue wisely in a strong attempt to staunch her laughter; sometimes, he was just so proud. She thought it was adorable.

It was a short drive down Salter street to the highschool, which Kagome had passed many times already during her stay. The school was enormous and cookie cutter, just about the way Kagome had imagined it, and nothing about it was remarkable or impressive. There was a good deal of graffiti on the southern wall, most of which was gang related and screamed out the name of the drawer's alma mater, but otherwise Kagome might've mistaken it for her old highschool back in Kyoto. As they parked in a senior parking spot, Kagome took a deep breath and stepped out, gazing over the sea of cars before her. Each and every one was an exotic sports car, except for the odd SUV or pick-up; the view was colorful and refreshing.

"Alright, we gotta get to the supply and uniform line before the opening assembly, which starts in..." Inuyasha glanced down at his watch as he locked the car. "Half an hour. Better hurry."

"Where's the supply line?" Kagome asked as they began joining the throng of students walking towards the main building.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Follow the crowd? I forget where it normally is."

"You're useless, 'arentcha?" Kagome joked, giving Inuyasha a slight punch to the shoulder.

Inuyasha grinned and began tickling her sides as they entered the building, which echoed with the sounds of friends reuniting after summers away and enemies renewing their hatred for one another. The hallways were tile floored and lined with classroom doors, unremarkable just like the school's dull tan brick, but Kagome couldn't help but find it all new and exciting. The chance to reinvent herself.

They passed several trophy cases on their way, most of which held dance awards and pendants. "Wow," Kagome murmured softly. "They've got quite a dance program, huh?"

"Best in the city," Inuyasha agreed. "I hope Tora know's what she's up against. She was big stuff up at boarding school, but I dunno if that's gonna mean anything here."

They continued on until they came to the largest trophy case yet, which was stocked with pictures of football teams and MVP award winners; trophies as tall as Kagome's torso and medals by the dozens were displayed behind the glass in a dazzling array.

Kagome stopped and glanced at the case, managing a double take when she recognized several faces. "Inuyasha, look! You're in here!"

Inuyasha smirked proudly, crossing his arms as Kagome pressed her face to the glass in awe. "Damn straight. City champions for three years running."

Kagome let her eyes roam over the previous year's team photo, realizing for the first time that it was comprised almost entirely of people she knew. Inuyasha, Kouga, Bankotsu, Hakkaku, Hiten and Suikotsu were on the second row from the top, all in their uniforms with their helmets in hand. Ryuukoytsusei, Manten, Naraku and Sesshomaru were on the top row, doing the same, next to Ranbou, who was located in the center of the picture. Kagome raised her eyebrows as she recognized many Southerners and Northerners next to one another, but she decided to stay quiet in order to avoid Inuyasha's unpredictable wrath; the merest mention of Naraku could set the hanyou into hysterical fits of rage.

It was then that Kagome moved to the MVP section; her eyebrows nearly raised off her forehead. "Ranbou's been MVP every season since his freshman year?!"

Inuyasha chuckled slightly. "Yeah, lucky bastard. I hate to say it, but he's damn good at football. He's like a tank. I've seen him tackled four times and that's about it; three of those were in practice."

Kagome blinked in surprise. "Wow, I had no idea. You guys really must be something."

"Yeah, we're pretty good," Inuyasha said arrogantly, head nearly ballooning to record size.

"Hey," Kagome said confusedly after a moment. "Where's Miroku? Or does he not play?"

"Naw, he's over here," Inuyasha replied, gesturing to another team picture. This picture was on the right side of the case by an entirely different set of trophies and awards. "He's on the human team."

"You have different teams for humans and demons?" Kagome asked; in Kyoto, there had only been one team for everyone.

Inuyasha rubbed the back of his head, replying, "Well, the humans can't exactly keep up with us and, I mean, they can't just tell the demons to tone it down, so..."

"Oh," Kagome muttered, giving the trophy once last glance before continuing to walk towards the distribution line. "I'd never really thought of that before. At my old school, the humans just gritted their teeth and beared it."

"It's too competitive here," Inuyasha replied; Kagome could tell by his face that South Tokyo took football very seriously.

They arrived at the end of two very lengthy lines, one which contained girls and another which contained boys; Kagome and Inuyasha broke apart, saying quick goodbyes before joining their respective lines. Kagome happened to be right behind Ayame and Inuyasha right behind Kouga, the two of which had obviously arrived just recently.

"Hey Kags," Ayame greeted brightly. "How'd your Nakama meeting go?"

Kagome sighed in near irritation. "Well, it was interesting. I'll tell you about it later. But I do have a question: do you and your Nakama get along?"

Ayame raised her eyebrows, replying with a slight smile, "Me and my Nakama are like sisters. So yeah." When Kagome began to look crestfallen, Ayame broke in once more, "But it takes time. Look, they were all really close to Kikyo and it's going to take time for them to trust you. You already have an edge, though. They couldn't respect Kikyo for anything, seeing as though she was...a little sexually promiscuous. You're not, so...maybe they can respect you."

Kagome gave her redheaded friend a grateful smile. "Thanks, but it's not looking good."

In the boys line, Inuyasha and Kouga were carrying on a rather tight conversation in attempts to occupy themselves. Tensions between the two were at an all time high since the battle, a fact which most had attributed to the general anxiety generated by all the injuries and emotional hardships. Despite this fact, Inuyasha and Kouga were fighting cat and mouse, or rather, dog and wolf. If not for their infinite boredom, they wouldn't even have attempted conversation in the first place. In this light, they were sticking to something that both of them could agree on: football.

"I mean, North Tokyo doesn't have the runners," Kouga reasoned, dissecting the faults of South Tokyo's biggest rival. "We have speed and they don't."

"Not to mention I think my grandmother could flatten their linebacker," Inuyasha agreed haughtily. "That guy...Matsumoto? Is that his name?"

Kouga remembered back to the linebacker in question, nodding slowly. "Yeah, that's him. But he graduated, right? Class of '06?"

"Oh yeah," Inuyasha murmured. "Wonder who they got to replace him."

As he said this, Kouga and Ayame arrived at the front of their lines. The student council members were running tables lined with books, schedules and uniforms, hurriedly distributing them amongst the students before them. When Ayame's arms were fully laden with books, five uniforms and her schedules, she said to Kagome, "I'll be in the locker room changing; come find me."

"Okay," Kagome agreed, turning her attention to the mousy girl running the computer behind the table.

"Name?" the girl asked.

"Kagome Higurashi."

The girl glanced up at Kagome and bowed her head respectfully; she'd obviously heard Kagome's name before. The girl searched Kagome's information on the computer and blinked in surprise. "Wow, you're ambitious, aren't you, Kijo? Sei, come down here to collect some books, please!"

A boy came running from the other table, glancing at the screen and giving a low whistle. "Holy shit, that kids got a death wish. Who is it?"

The mousy girl cleared her throat, jerking her head in Kagome's direction; Kagome cocked an eyebrow and gave the boy a dry glare, which he shyed away from by hurrying towards the book stacks. "Call it out to me, Lee."

Much to Kagome's embarrassment, the girl began calling out her course list to aid the boy at the book stacks. "AP English V, Multivariable Calculus, AP Chemistry, Honors History V, AP French Lit and Shop Class I."

Many of the girls and boys nearest Kagome went silent in awe, wondering how anyone besides Sesshomaru, Akago or Gan could possibly carry such a course load. Kagome blushed a burning red as she murmured quietly, "Um, could I transfer from Shop Class I to Shop class III, please?" Kagome had improved her mechanics indefinitely over the summer.

Lee, the mousy girl at the computer, gave Kagome a disbelieving glance before muttering, "Sure thing, Kagome-dono. If you want." Obviously, this girl was in the Wildcats.

The boy, Sei, gathered the books necessary for Kagome's classes and handed her five uniforms, complete with sweaters for the winter; this left her completely overcome with materials and she grunted slightly beneath the weight. "Thanks."

Inuyasha, who didn't have nearly as much to carry as Kagome, hurried to lighten his girlfriend's load by taking several books off the top of her enormous stack. "Holy shit, Kagome, you never told me you were some kind of genius," he grumbled as they walked towards the locker rooms.

"I just study a lot, is all," she said quietly; her blush was now a fiery crimson. "It just comes easily to me, I have a good memory."

Inuyasha snorted and replied, "Yeah, well we only have one class together, Calculus. I'm not exactly a study freak like you."

Kagome giggled as Inuyasha rolled his eyes, placing her remaining books on top of her stack before ducking into the boy's locker room, obviously miffed by his girlfriend's intelligence. Kagome managed to balance her way inside, where she promptly dropped the books on a bench and let out a relieved breath. Ayame glanced over at her friend, smiling slightly at her supplies.

"Looks like we have a mini-Gan on our hands, huh?"

Kagome just rolled her eyes and glanced down at her uniform, looking rather confused all the while. A tie? Where did the tie go? And were the knee socks absolutely, completely and totally mandatory? Because Kagome didn't normally do knee socks. The entire ensemble consisted of a red and black plaid skirt, a black blazer, white dress shirt, black knee socks and a black and red striped tie. Ayame finished tying her tie just as Kagome began to think about taking off her white leather jacket.

"Something wrong, Kagome?" Ayame asked curiously.

Kagome shook her head silently, glancing up at Ayame who happened to look quite good in the uniform. Ayame smiled encouragingly at Kagome before putting her books in the locker before her and shouldering her bag. "I'm going to head off to the auditorium; do you want me to wait for you?"

"No, go on ahead," Kagome murmured, still staring down at her uniform.

Ayame shrugged and did so, leaving Kagome behind as most of the girls slammed their locker doors shut and hurried off towards the opening assembly. Finally Kagome took off her jacket and began putting on the uniform she'd wear for the next nine months. The skirt was thin, obviously made for summer, while two of the other skirts were wool. The knee socks were made of a likewise thin fabric, though Kagome still cringed as she donned them, and the blazer was about as comfortable as blazers got, which was still quite irritating. Finally, the only thing remaining was the tie.

Kagome stared down at the offending article of clothing before biting her lip and throwing her belongings into her locker, grabbing her tie and bag as she dashed out the door.

As Kagome came running out of the girl's locker room, she noticed a familiar, angry voice echoing through the halls. She glanced down towards the supply tables, noticing a familiar snow white braid and a waterfall of golden waves; Akago and Gan. Judging by the tone of Gan's voice, she was about ready to be done with the matter of her uniform.

"Look, I've already paid for it, so just give it to me, please."

The mousy girl behind the counter, Lee, sighed and replied desperately, "I'm sorry, Gan-dono, but it's against the rules; you have to wear a girl's uniform now."

"I don't give a damn what the rules say," Gan roared, slamming her palm down on the table. "Give me my pants!"

Kagome sighed and jogged towards her friends, noticing that Akago was already dressed in the boys uniform: black slacks, black blazer, white dress shirt and school issued tie. He looked handsomely irritated, though Kagome wasn't sure if it was because of the obstinant supply workers or Gan's insistence.

"Gan?" Kagome asked tentatively.

Gan whirled to face Kagome, violet eyes burning fiercely. "Kagome! Back me up, since Akago seems to have lost his tongue; I paid for slacks and I'll damn well get them!"

"Is there a problem out here, kids?"

The students all abruptly turned to face the newcomer, who was wearing a white button up shirt and black slacks; the identification badge around his neck proved him to be a teacher. Kagome followed the badge upwards, where it was hung around a thick, tan neck, which happened to be adorned with the tattoo of a tiger. The man's face was a smooth coffee color, despite the scar running across his nose onto both cheeks, and his ears were both pierced numerous times, as were his eyebrows. His hair was the color of the ocean, a mix between dark and light blues, a mesmerizing shade of cobalt.

Akago merely readjusted his glasses, replying respectfully, "Only a civil dispute, Kayo-sensei. Uniform trouble."

Kagome blinked confusedly as the blue haired man came closer, his black eyes twinkling. "Oh?" He turned his attention to Gan, who was looking up at him with a mix of fearlessness and rebellion. "I just received a faculty memo about you, Kiretsu. Something about you just having been released from the witness protection program."

When Kagome gave Akago a confused look, Akago merely shook his head and mouthed, "Be quiet," before returning his attention respectfully to Kayo. Kagome wasn't positive, but she almost though she saw the teacher's mouth turn up in a brief smile before he murmured, "So the witness protection program dressed you up as a boy, then. Why do I find that hard to believe." Turning to Lee behind the supply table, Kayo said almost mirthfully, "Get Ms. Kiretsu here five skirts, Lee."

Gan opened her mouth to protest when Kayo interrupted her. "Don't argue, Kiretsu, just do it. Worse things have happened than you wearing a skirt." And with that, the teacher turned on his heels and walked down the hallway towards the school auditorium without so much as a goodbye.

The group of students watched him leave before Kagome turned, aghast, to Akago. "He was a _teacher? _With pierced ears, tattoos and blue hair?! And what's this shit about the witness protection program?"

Gan bitterly accepted the skirts which Lee handed over the counter and replied flatly, "What would you have said? 'Oh, I had a little surgery over the summer.' I had to tell them something, so I told them that the witness protection program had placed me under its care after I witness a murder six years ago and I'd been a boy ever since. But this summer, the murderer was taken into custody and I was released."

Akago smirked. "Watching her impart this information to the principal really made my day."

Gan scowled at the boy before stomping moodily into the girl's locker room, ignoring Lee as she shouted, "Wait, Gan-dono, you forgot your books!"

"I'll get them," Akago said with an upheld hand, turning to retrieve the stack of books in question. Kagome happened to glance at a few of the titles before she exclaimed, "Oh, finally, someone in some of my classes!"

Glancing up in surprise, Akago asked, "Your classes? Really?"

"Yeah," Kagome replied, smiling in relief. "Woo, this is good, I thought I wouldn't know anyone. Yeah, it looks like she's in english, math and history with me."

Akago looked down at the books in his hands, mentally wondering how he could've missed Kagome's obvious academic prowess over the past three months. Kagome happened to notice Akago's open bag on the ground and she murmured, "Oh, I'll get this, don't worry about it," before shouldering it along with her own.

"You must be very smart, Kago-" Akago began, only to be cut off by another excited gasp from the girl beside him.

"Oh, and look! You're in my French class! And my science class!" she continued, glancing down at the books in Akago's bag.

At this, Akago's eyes grew to nearly the size of dinner plates and he asked quietly, "You're in AP French Literature?"

"Yeah, I love French," Kagome replied off handedly, smiling honestly for one of the first times that morning. It was enough that she was coming to a new school, but the idea of tackling her classes alone had nearly frightened her right back out the door.

"_Ceci sera une année intéressante," _Akago remarked, noting that the year would indeed be an interesting one.

Kagome was silent for a moment before she said in quiet awe, "Your accent is so beautiful, Akago; it's almost like you've lived in France!"

Laughing in mild embarrassment, Akago replied modestly, "Oh no, I'm just on good terms with the French teacher; he was a Shark leader ten years before me and he's helped me through a lot of hiccups in Northern life, I must say."

This new information startled Kagome slightly. "You mean...he was is a gang? And now he's teaching?"

Akago seemed mildly surprised for a moment as he regarded Kagome with his crimson gaze. Finally, he replied, "Yes, Kayo was a Shark just like the other teachers were Fangs and Wildcats and so on. This entire school is staffed almost entirely by ex-gang members; I'm surprised no one told you that."

"Me too," Kagome replied sourly. "Who would give ex-gang members a job anyhow?"

"Well, it's not like they write 'used to race motorcycles' on their resume, Kagome. I doubt they present themselves as former Reikons, or what have you. Besides all of that, there's only room for so many mechanics in this town and most of us will go on to get an education at nearby universities and get jobs just like your average citizen. The principal himself is a former Cobra; he probably hires teachers whom he knows will understand the youth their teaching," Akago reasoned, shrugging slightly. "This may sound like the plot to a low-budget crime film, but this school facilitates the presence of the gangs and it always has. We wouldn't have remained untouched by the law for so long if the school didn't cooperate with us."

Though the idea of being taught by gang leaders and core members was rather strange, Kagome soon began to feel almost relieved, as though she'd been holding her breath. She'd wondered briefly if the school board was aware that it housed an entire city's worth of gang members in its classrooms, but she hadn't really dwelled on the thought until now. The way Akago put it made all of this seem safe and guarded. As though none of her teachers would judge her.

"This is quite uncomfortable."

Kagome and Akago turned to see Gan walking towards them, fresh out of the locker room in her new girl's uniform. She looked incredibly feminine in it, which caused Kagome to giggle and Akago to smile.

"Ah, you look lovely, Gan."

Though Gan looked as though she wanted to smack Akago across the face, she only let out an irritated hiss and grabbed her books from the boy, storming towards the locker room, grumbling all the while. Her footsteps receeded inside the room, where they smacked on the tile, and the sound of a locker door squeaking could be heard. Books thundered as they were thrown inside the rectangular space and a great slam echoed through the room and out the door as Gan came storming right back out, still agitated to high heaven.

"And now I'll have to endure the gawking and pointing at opening assembly," Gan lamented, throwing up her hands. "It's hopeless. I'll never live this down."

Kagome smiled kindly, saying, "Gan, don't exaggerate, I'm sure everyone'll get used to it. We all did."

"I dearly hope so," Gan muttered.

The trio began hurrying down the hallway, following many twists and turns until they arrived shortly at the great double doors which led them into the auditorium. The doors had yet to be opened and the students were milling about in the auditorium lobby, greeting old friends and meeting new ones as their voices raised in a loud harmony. Kagome, Gan and Akago made their way through the sea of black and red until they came to the corner where their friends had set up camp, leaning against the wall and laughing amongst themselves.

Inuyasha glanced up and nodded at his girlfriend. "What took ya so long?"

"Nothing, just waiting for Gan and Akago," she replied, saddling up beside him as she crossed her arms against the cold; the air conditioning in this school was obviously set to accomodate the wearing of school blazers.

As she thought about the school blazers, Kagome turned her attention to Inuyasha; his shirt was untucked and his blazer unbuttoned, giving him a bad boy sort of air. Kagome chuckled. "You look like James Dean."

"Naw, James Dean looks like me," Inuyasha joked, giving his hair an arrogant toss as Kagome laughed.

Meanwhile, Gan sighed as she noticed many fingers pointed in her direction, accompanied by a myriad of whispers. Akago simply said, "Ignore them," as he leaned up against the wall beside her.

"I'm trying," Gan replied, voice containing a certain amount of restraint. "I just wish they could point discreetly, or something."

As Akago's eyes swept the crowd, he murmured, "Half of them don't even recognize you, they just think you're a transfer student. Let them think it; I'm sure it's better than spreading your personal business around."

Just as Akago said this, Gan noticed a boy making his way directly towards them; he was a Reikon she'd seen briefly in passing a few times, though hardly enough to know his name or even really remember his face. He had spiky black hair and confident green eyes, a human boy with a long stride and forgettable features. For a moment, Gan wasn't sure if he was actually walking towards her and Akago, though it was soon apparent that he was. He had his jacket slung over his shoulder and obviously carried a purpose.

He stopped just short of Gan, grinning broadly as he crossed his arms in a muscular display. "Hey there, baby."

Gan's eyes grew rather wide and her eyebrows raised consequently. She glanced around before pointing unsurely to herself. "Me?"

"Yeah you, toots. Whadya say you and me hit up the town tonight?" the boy continued, placing one hand directly adjacent to Gan's head on the wall as he leaned forward, causing his nose to practically touch hers.

Gan's face was one of complete and total horror; it was rare that the famous Gun found herself unable to deal with a situation, but this was one which she'd never encountered in her sixteen years. The boy's green eyes glittered with what Gan perceived as lust and she opened her mouth to respond.

"I-I...uh..."

She tried to lean away from him, only to find the wall in her way and the boy leaning persistently nearer.

Akago had been rather surprised when this boy wandered over, though part of him was almost giddy to see how Gan would respond. He wasn't sure whether or not she would slap him, verbally assault him, or simply go straight for the family jewels; it was like Akago's personal bet with himself. The betting spirit within the Shark leader died, however, when this black haired boy came physically close to Gan and the confusion loomed up in her eyes. Something about the sight of this presumptuous Reikon leaning near his second in command made Akago want to break him in half.

Within that very second, Akago had grabbed the boy by the front of his shirt and was holding him suspended some two inches above the ground. The boy gurgled in surprise, looking down at Akago with a face full of fear; apparently his confidence was disposable. Akago stared the boy down with crimson eyes of fire, tightening his grip as he turned and pressed the boy's back against the wall.

The Shark leader leaned his face in very close, as the boy had done to Gan, and growled through clenched teeth, "I think you have somewhere else to be. Right now."

When the boy said nothing, too frozen to speak, Akago slammed him back up against the wall with a thud. "Speak up, I can't understand you!"

"Yeahotherplacestobe," the boy replied quickly, shaking his head so fast that it nearly wobbled off his neck; he was desperate to be released from Akago's clutches and his feet were jiggling in anticipation of hitting the ground running.

Akago looked as though he wanted to continue this confrontation, but Sesshomaru's thin hand appeared on his shoulder before anything else could take place. "Akago, I think that's enough."

Staring back at the Fang leader, who's gaunt face was drawn and serious; though Sesshomaru's belt was notched slightly tighter than normal, his uniform fit well enough and he looked sharp and commanding. Akago snorted and released the boy from his grip, seeming not to notice as his victim skittered away towards a group of chuckling Reikons.

Akago finally grunted, giving Sesshomaru a nod which clearly said "I'm finished." Sesshomaru gave Akago one last look of warning before he returned to where the others were gathered some five feet away, silence replacing their conversation as they exchanged glances; it was rare that Akago Tsume got violent, especially over something so miniscule.

As the talking around them resumed, Gan lifted her head to observe Akago, who was staring moodily off into the distance as he leaned back against the wall, arms crossed handsomely. The girl bit her lip; she was rather embarrassed and she wasn't sure why.

"Thank you, Akago," she finally said, voice small and meek. "I...didn't know what to say to him."

"'No' is what you should've damn well said," Akago replied almost angrily, though his anger was obviously not directed at Gan. "Or 'fuck off you stupid bastard,' would've gotten across the message quite clearly, I should think."

"I'm just not used to boys...coming up to me and...saying those things," Gan managed to get out. She leaned back against the wall with her hands folded demurely in front of her. "I'd heard the others tell stories, but I guess I'd never seen how forward they could be."

Akago snorted, angling his crimson gaze downwards as his white braid fell over his shoulder. "Well, get used to it because I'm sure you'll be getting quite a bit of attention." He turned his lowered gaze upwards until it landed on Gan's confused and anxious face. "I'm sure you've been told by the girls, but you're quite pretty, Gan. Boys are going to be forcing themselves on you because they're insensitive and arrogant. And you're blonde."

Gan had been blushing profusely at Akago's flattery until he mentioned her hair. "What does that have to do with anything?" Gan asked hottly.

"Gentlemen prefer blondes, or haven't you heard?" Akago joked.

His second in command frowned, furrowing her brow as the doors to the auditorium were thrown open and students began funneling inside. Akago pushed off the wall and smiled mysteriously, obviously loving the confusion he was causing Gan. "Shall we?" Gan only sighed as they joined the crowd waiting to enter through the doors.

"Kagome, where's your tie?" Kouga asked as they walked towards the door.

Kagome blushed rather brilliantly and glanced down at the black and red striped tie, which was still clenched in her fist. Miroku furrowed his brow. "Kagome, do you know how to tie a tie?"

When the girl glanced down at her shoes, Inuyasha chuckled slightly. "Hah, stupid girl, give it here."

"I'm not stupid," Kagome protested weakly, handing Inuyasha the tie as she stood annoyedly before him.

Inuyasha reached around Kagome's neck and tied the tie swiftly and deftly, smiling at Kagome when he was finished. She smiled back, as witnessing one of his genuine smiles was a cause for celebration, and kissed him sweetly on the cheek. "Thanks, Inuyasha. I'll figure it out eventually."

"Keh. That's a maybe," Inuyasha joked good naturedly, turning abruptly at the sound of a throat clearing.

A large, broad shouldered man was standing at the doors to the auditorium, holding it open for the students as they hurried inside. He was enormous, in Kagome's opinion: muscular arms and thick tank legs, along with a neck which Kagome reckoned was the thickness of both her thighs put together. He was bald with tribal zig zag tattoos covering his head, giving him an earthy and almost holy appearance in Kagome's mind. He looked quite odd wearing a suit, though it fit him well; he was about as fit as a person could physically become.

"Inuyasha, be nice to your woman," the man said in a voice which was deep enough to shake the nearest mountain range.

He glanced down at Kagome, who was a good foot and a half shorter than him, and grinned toothily. His blue eyes twinkled as he held out a large, meat slab hand for her to shake. "I'm Kuma Shikaruni, but the boys just call me Bear. I'm the football coach."

Kagome's eyes passed a look of recognition and she smiled in return, shaking his hand firmly with her small one. "Oh! I'm Kagome Higurashi, Rin's cousin."

Bear cocked his large head to the side, still smiling. "Sesshomaru's girl, then! Well, isn't that a coincidence? You're all a big family, aren't you?"

Kagome couldn't explain it, but something about Bear just made a person feel comfortable and at home. For the first time that morning, she felt at ease, and she smiled in near relief. The coach was warm and inviting, almost like an overstuffed arm chair.

"Yeah, guess we are," Inuyasha mentioned, rubbing the back of his neck in slight embarrassment.

Bear laughed, a great rumbling sound which reminded Kagome of a drum, and clapped Inuyasha on the shoulder; the motion nearly knocked Inuyasha over. "Don't look so freaked out, Yash, she's a great girl, very pretty. You did good."

Kagome blushed as Inuyasha grinned. "Yeah, she's pretty hot, huh? Can't tie a tie, but we'll fix that."

Bear laughed again as Kagome gave Inuyasha a whack to the back. "Oh, stop it, you can't put up your own hair."

Inuyasha blushed at the remembrance; Kagome had indeed put up his hair many times that summer when he found himself uncapable. Bear laughed heartily. "She's got you there, Inuyasha." Turning to Kagome, he whispered loudly, "Bankotsu has to braid it for him during games."

Giggling, Kagome grinned at Bear, who smiled back before ushering both a smiling Kagome and a grumbling Inuyasha inside the auditorium. "Hurry up now, gotta hear the principal give his talk."

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand in his as they made their way to the right side of the auditorium, which had been commandeered by the Fangs and their associates. The left side of the auditorium seemed to belong entirely to the North and all of their friends, a group which ended up being a bit larger than Kagome had reckoned. She'd thought that after Naraku's death the North would thin out, but it actually seemed to have thickened. She reckonized the faces of several Spiders whom she knew all to well: the few who had thrown rocks at her during her imprisonment, some of the guards, some of the racers. She could make out Kagura's face from where she was sitting, picking her fake nails near the front row. Her skirt was riding up so high on her thigh that Kagome wondered if it was actually regulation length. Lastly, her eyes landed on a familiar green head; Ryuukoytsusei was sitting in the midst of the Northerners with his core surrounding him, though there was one person whom she failed to recognize. It was a small girl who looked no older than 16, her hair the same emerald green as Ryuu's and her small little face pretty and porcelain. Kagome studied her for a moment before nudging Inuyasha.

"Hey, do you recognize that girl next to Ryuukoytsusei?"

Inuyasha glanced over at the Dragon leader, focusing on the girl a moment before furrowing his brow. "Naw, never seen her before. They look related though; I mean how many green haired kids you seen walkin' around?"

"Not many," Kagome agreed, observing the girl quizically.

On the other side of the auditorium, Mizumi fiddled with the hem of her skirt and continued to cross her legs and uncross them, switching sides out of nervousness. Ryuu glanced over at her as she began tapping out a rythym on the arm chair.

"Can you sit still or not?" he asked irritatedly, glaring down at her.

She sighed in frustration and plopped her hands down in her lap, uncrossing her legs for the final time. "Sorry. I just hate stitting still and listening to people talk. It's boring."

"He hasn't even started talking yet," Ryuu pointed out, raising one of his fine green eyebrows sarcastically.

Mizumi lowered her eyebrows and crossed her arms, glaring acidically up at her brother. "Yeah, well, I'm anticipating the upcoming boredom," she explained.

Ryuu sighed and shook his head. He blinked, as though remembering something and dug down in the pocket of his blazer. "Here," he said, handing her a set of keys.

As she turned them over in her hands, Mizumi furrowed her brow and asked, "What are these for?"

"Knitting a sweater," Ryuu replied sardonically, rolling his crimson eyes. "One goes to the Mustang and the other one goes to the apartment. I have football practice after school, so just go home."

Mizumi was quiet for a moment before she murmured, "But I'm not old enough to drive here, am I? Don't you have to be 18 in Japan?"

After looking at her for a moment in silence, Ryuu responded slowly, "Kid, do I look like I give a fuck about the law?"

"Definitely not," Mizumi said with a sigh, staring down at the keys in her hands. "But you drive on the wrong side of the road here; I don't know if I'll be able to."

Hearing this, Kagura turned around in her seat, eyebrow raised saucily. "It's you Americans that drive on the wrong side of the road, little girl."

Ryuukoytsusei opened his mouth to tell Kagura to stick it somewhere unpleasant when Mizumi's small voice broke the air; she looked incredibly peeved. "Sorry, but we're having a private conversation and you're not invited. So you can turn back around and continue chewing off your press-ons."

Ryuu and Kagura both looked stunned enough to pass out, each with eyes the size of dinner plates; neither had expected such an answer out of Mizumi, who appeared quite nonconfrontational, though it was obvious that she had a great deal of spunk to her. Kagura frowned and her eyebrows lowered far down over her cruel crimson eyes.

"Look, little girl, y-"

But Ryuukoytusei interrupted flatly. "Kagura, fuck off."

Mizumi smiled slightly as her brother frowned in her defense, looking prepared to jump Kagura if need be, but the Vixen leader backed down and turned around in her seat before it could come to blows. Smiling slightly, Mizumi gave her brother a glowing look before saying, "I guess I can drive. Americans are famous for ingenuity, right?"

At that moment, the speakers in the auditorium gave a loud kick and the students cried out in surprise, clapping hands to sensetive demon ears. There were several shouts of "what the fuck" as the tall man now standing behind the podium tapped the microphone curiously, as though wondering if it were on. In response to his tapping, the monitors screeched and more whines followed.

"Sorry about that," the man said when the feedback had finally calmed. His blue eyes, clear and crystal behind rectangular spectacles, swept the audience as his mouth curled up in a smirk. "Had to get you quiet somehow. Good morning. To those of you who don't know me, I'm your principal, Numa Shikaruni."

On the right side of the auditorium, Kagome was observing the man with a rather curious face; though she wondered if it was disgusting to think so, Kagome couldn't help but find her principal quite beautiful. He was so tall and thin that he might've passed for Sesshomaru, though he had an even more dignified air about him than the Fang leader. His blonde hair was a light flaxen, pulled back in a low ponytail, and his skin was a beautiful pale peach. The way he looked at the students, as though he loved the very sight of them, made Kagome feel almost worshiped. The principal at her old school had certainly been nothing like this man.

It was then that Kagome suddenly remembered hearing the name Shikaruni only a few minutes prior. Leaning towards Inuyasha, she whispered curiuosly, "Are the principal and your coach related?"

"Brothers," Inuyasha explained, grinning when Kagome's face displayed her surprise. "Yeah, kinda weird, huh? And it gets even weirder: Bear is younger."

Kagome snorted at the irony and leaned back in her seat, trying to find parallels between the huge, muscled man at the door and the thin waif-like one on stage. Eventually, she could find no similarities but smile and eyes between the two and she leaned back defeatedly in her seat as the principal continued.

"Though I'm sure you're expecting the 'it's going to be a great year' speech, I courteously obstain from that option. Instead, I'm going to simply say welcome and I wish you good luck as you forge on. That being in the academic spirit, I say with great athletic spirit: good luck to our football team as they move towards another winning season!"

The room erupted with cheers and screams as the students called out the names of their favorite players. Many of the football players jumped up and punched their fists to the sky, simultaneously shouting, "You KNOW!"

As Inuyasha retook his seat, he was met with Kagome's curiously raised eyebrow. "You know?" she asked skeptically.

"What?" he asked defensively. "It's like a team cheer thing."

"Uhuh," Kagome responded, smirking slightly.

On stage, Principal Shikaruni quieted the thrumming audience and continued. "Yes, yes, that's all well and good. We do have graver matters to attend to, however." His face grew sober and silence captured the crowd; the principal's severity was nearly tangible. "This summer, as all the summers before, has brought us a good many unfortunate deaths in our school community and for that, I am truly sorry." Sighing, the principal removed his spectacles and set them down on the podium, observing the students with a pair of sad eyes which brought shame to their hearts. "The world in which you live is not ideal, I know. You are all part of a certain lifestyle that brings hardship with it and often, there is no room for guilt or care when dealing with those you consider to be your enemies. I hear the word 'evil' thrown around in the hallways and I address this now: it is not evil men that we must fear. It is the indifference of good men."

The auditorium was silent and heavy as the guilts and regrets of every man in the room rose to the ceiling, gathering in a cloud above their heads. Chins fell to chests and eyes began to shift nervously about, as though the students were wondering if they were naked with their sins exposed. Though they lived their years in a constant mode of indifference, Numa Shikaruni had a great talent for shaming people right into the ground. He did it not to condescend, but to teach; his pupils knew this well.

Knowing that his point had been duly made, Principal Shikaruni smiled in a forgiving manner. "Thank you very much, everyone, for your attention to my moans and groans this morning. Student Council, please stay behind to speak with Kayo-sensei and I about the upcoming month. Coach Shikaruni has asked me to inform the football team that practice starts in one hour and no exceptions will be made for tardiness. The last one there will run 30 Bear Climbs."

At this, the football team members gave groans from their seats, a great moaning chorus which shook the very walls. Inuyasha rubbed at his temples and Kagome furrowed her brow. "What's a 'bear climb?'"

Inuyasha sneered, crossing his arms angrily. "There's a huge hill at the end of the football field that separates us from the fine arts wing. Coach came up with this shit called a 'Bear Climb' where you have to sprint up one side and then tackle squat down the other, then do it again. If you start on the left side of the hill, you have to go up the hill, down the other side, up that side and down back to where you started until it counts as one."

Kagome shuddered. "Oh, that would hurt after a while."

"Yeah, like after 3."

Principal Shikaruni raised his voice above the groanings brought about by his brother's harsh law. "AND," he said loudly, bringing the auditorium to a quiet. "Poly-sensei says that all those in Advanced Dance Lab V must report to the dance balcony in thirty minutes for warm-up before class ranking auditions. Cheerleaders, please meet your captain at the field in 30 minutes for tryouts as well. That is all; dismissed."

The students began to stand and chatter broke out as friends discussed upcoming auditions and tryouts, walking in a steady stream towards the double doors on either side of the auditorium.

Ranbou tugged at the tie around his neck, scowling at the familiar constricting feeling which always accompanied the school uniform. He always imagined a snake wrapped around his neck, growing tighter with each passing moment; Ranbou had never liked ties in the first place. Shitora glanced up at the tall boy beside her, who was tugging anxiously at his collar.

"Easy does it, wolfboy," she said with a sigh, reaching up on her tip toes to loosen the knot.

Ranbou let out a breath of relief when Shitora's small hands finally relieved him of the tightness near his throat. "Thanks, Sukini," he murmured, cracking his neck routinely.

The two exited the auditorium and began walking towards the locker rooms to gather up their things. "Wanna grab somethin' to eat after I finish with practice?" Ranbou asked, glancing down at his girlfriend.

Shitora shrugged, meeting his blue gaze with her amber one. "I dunno how long auditions are gonna take; I'll be out by dinner, probably."

At this, Ranbou raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You're tryin' out for that really intense dance class? That advanced lab whatever?"

The confusion was evident in his voice and Shitora frowned. "Yeah. Why, is that a problem?"

"Naw, I'm just sayin'...I mean, dance is kinda competetive here, baby girl," Ranbou explained carefully. He certainly didn't want to arouse Shitora's anger, but he figured that auditions were going to be a painfully eye opening experience for the hanyou girl. She hadn't been going to this highschool for the past three years; how was she to know what she was getting herself in to?

But Shitora stopped walking abruptly, crossing her arms pertly over her chest. Ranbou could tell by her fierce eyes that she was angry. "What, you don't think I can do it?" she challenged.

Ranbou rolled his eyes to the ceiling and walked back towards her, ignoring the stares there were getting from their fellow students as they disrupted the flow of traffic through the halls. "No, that ain't what I'm sayin'. Just, you haven't been watchin' these recitals like I have, and believe me, they're pretty damn good. Best in town."

Despite Ranbou's placating attitude, Shitora only growled. "Like I don't already know that; I've been watching their recitals on tape since freshman year."

The wolf demon blinked. "Come again?"

"You heard me, I've been waiting to come back here and join this class for three years and nothin's gonna stop me, not you or anyone else!" Shitora shouted, pushing Ranbou roughly in the chest before storming off down the hall.

Ranbou rubbed the back of his head in confusion; exactly how had that conversation gone from good to bad so quickly? He'd suspected that when Shitora spoke of dance, it was only a passing fancy or a hobby for her. When she'd mentioned pursuing it as a career that morning, he'd likewise blown it off. But actually coming to physical confrontation in the hallway? Apparently, she was quite serious about this whole thing.

The wolf's thoughts were disrupted when someone stumbled into him from behind; the offending tripper bounced off Ranbou as though they weighed nothing at all. Ranbou turned to address whoever this clumsy kid was when he found himself rather stunned by the sight before him.

A girl was unfolding herself from a rather undignified position on the floor, looking for all the world like a walking stick figure. The girl was at least 5'11 and extremely long legged; Ranbou surmised that at least 75 of her body was strictly from her hip to the floor. She had blonde hair, so white it was nearly the color of snow like Shitora's, and a pair of blue eyes so honest that the professional assassin was ashamed to meet them. In truth, this girl was extraordinarily beautiful.

"So sorry!" she exclaimed, smiling hugely in a rather dopey way. "I'm really clumsy; sorry again!"

With this, the girl gave Ranbou one last smile and began walking down the hall; this was when Ranbou noticed something strange. The girl was limping quite noticeably, favoring her left leg with each step. The flaw marred her perfection, though Ranbou was almost positive that she hadn't been born with a defect; her legs were the same length, it appeared.

"Huh; weird," he murmured, shrugging to himself before resuming his trip towards the locker room, trying not to think of his recent fight with Shitora.

919191

Kagome furrowed her brow as she glanced down at the numbers scribbled so dismissively on her palm; for some reason, this so called locker combination wasn't working the same way it had that morning. The brunette frowned and smacked the locker rather violently with her palm, finding less satisfaction in the metallic bang than she'd reckoned she would. Kagome sighed heavily and rubbed her forehead; here she was waging war on her locker when all she really wanted to do was make peace with it. Sort of the same way she felt about her Nakama: as though she were going about it all the wrong way.

"Hey, you skinny twat, you're in my way!"

At the sound of this shrill threat, Kagome glanced down the line of lockers to find a tall girl standing over a much shorter one, looking quite ready for a fight. The taller girl's jacket was emblazened with the winking fox emblem of the Vixens and Kagome could just make out the shorter girl's white jacket hanging from her locker door.

The tall Vixen was a voluptuous redhead with quite a bit of attitude in her hips. She glared down at the short girl, practically blinding Kagome with a rather inappropriate view of her behind as she did so. "Didn't you hear me? Or don't you speak any Japanese? I said move!" Kagome lowered her eyebrows, wondering what a girl who was already dressed in street clothes with her bags strapped across her back could possibly need from her locker; obviously, this girl had come back simply to make trouble with a Wildcat.

The smaller girl said nothing; her perfect porcelain face made her look almost like a well crafted doll, with eyes the color of a forest shrouded in mist. Her hair was such a perfect black that Kagome swore her eyes nearly mistook it for blue; this girl was so small, but so beautiful. It was then that Kagome recognized her from earlier that morning; this girl was in her Nakama.

"Hey!" Kagome shouted, hurrying towards the altercation with a storm in her step. In a single second, she'd placed herself between the small little girl and the tall Vixen. "I don't see why you can't just wait for her to finish," Kagome said crisply, staring at the redhead with violence in her normally passive brown eyes.

"I'm in a hurry," the Vixen replied angrily. Crossing her arms over her ample chest, she spat out, "This isn't the South's block anymore, Higurashi, you can't just come in here throwing around orders like you own the place."

Kagome was about to retort when another voice entered their conversation. "Step off, Chichi, before I make you eat my fist."

A tall girl with golden blonde hair and matching dog ears atop her head strutted forcefully towards them, white jacket gleaming as she practically pushed Kagome out of the way. Kagome stared at the newcomer, though her angry gaze was soon met with an equally riled gold one; this girl was obviously not in the mood to be messed with. Kagome soon placed that angry gaze from earlier that morning: this girl was likewise one of her Nakama members. As the girl in question turned back around to address Chichi, the buxom Vixen, she allowed one of her hands to drift backwards as though urging the porcelain girl to stay behind, lest she get involved in the confrontation.

Chichi narrowed her emerald green gaze, but she soon turned brusquely on her tall heels and hurried away, obviously opting to forgo her precious fight in favor of keeping her parts intact.

Kagome took a deep breath and smiled, turning to the tall blonde beside her. "Well, that was almost a figh-"

"That was no where near a fight," the blonde replied curtly, glancing down at Kagome as though she were nothing but a speck on her shoe. "You'd have to know action to understand what a real fight looks like. That wasn't even close."

The small dark haired girl behind her gave a small sigh, but still said nothing. Kagome frowned. "I've seen enough 'action,' believe me, but-"

"Whatever you want to think. Trust me; when it comes to knowing battle, you're like a virgin in a den of whores here. You know nothing about fights or violence and you won't last the week," the blonde said disdainfully, hatred practically dripping from her tongue. "Morioka, stay out of trouble." With this last warning, the blonde girl tore her eyes away from Kagome's blank face and disappeared out the locker room door, dog ears twitching madly with irritation.

"Looks like a proud new member of my fan club," Kagome said sarcastically, letting out a stream of air as she placed her hands on her hips and turned to the small doll faced girl before her. "Are you okay, Morioka? That's your name, right?"

"My name is Morioka Misuto," the small girl confirmed, inclining her head respectfully in greeting. "I'm sorry Lea was so short with you, Kijo."

"Lea, hm?" Kagome mused, taking a seat straddling the bench behind her as she watched Morioka gathering her things demurely.

The girl nodded, misty green eyes glittering mysteriously. "Her name is Lea Skinner. It's not that she doesn't care about you, since I know she must; her sense of loyalty will make her protect you despite what she feels. But...she doesn't trust easily."

"Nobody around here seems to," Kagome said wearily.

Morioka shut her locker door, finally dressed in overalls and a black undershirt. She looked quite old, despite her size, as she murmured, "Can you blame them?"

"I guess not," Kagome replied quietly. As she rose, she asked curiously, "Is Lea a half demon?"

To her surprise, Morioka shook her head. "No; the ears don't always denote half demon heritage. Lea's family is simply of a very pure breed; they've retained some of the purest dog qualities, like the ears and tail. Lea's embarrassed by her tail, though; I've only seen it once."

"Ah," Kagome mused. She drifted down towards her own locker, noticing that Morioka was obviously waiting for her to finish gathering her things. "And you? Are you demon? Human? Half?"

"Three quarters," said Morioka. Her voice was of a rich red-wine tambre. "I'm a product of a whole and half demon. I'm mostly just water demon, though I hear my father might've had some dolphin in him."

At the sound of this, Kagome quirked an eyebrow; apparently, demons really did come from all walks of life. As she refocused on her locker combination, Kagome realized that all of this struggling was getting her nowhere. "This is really lame, but I can't get my locker open," she confessed, turning to Morioka for help.

"Allow me," Morioka replied. She looked down at the numbers on Kagome's palm, which were rather blurred and indiscernable. She turned the combination lock a certain amount of turns with no success. "I don't believe I'm reading it right..."

"Let me try," came someone's cool and collected voice.

Kagome recognized the girl as Seila, the dark haired wolf demon who'd aided her that very morning in her confrontation with Enju. This was the girl with muscles the size of a country; _perhaps she's good with mechanics and devices like everyone else around here, _Kagome mused, _she'll probably use a safety pin to unlock it or something_.

"Sure, Seila, give it a try."

Seila nodded shortly before turning towards the locker. She gave the lock a quick twist, causing the entire lock mechanism to come right out of the locker with her strength at its aid. There was now a round hole where the lock had once been, but Seila merely turned to face her leader. "Try it now, Kijo."

Kagome laughed uneasily. "Hehe, thanks Seila. Guess I won't have lock problems again, hehe, yeah..."

Morioka sighed, hanging her head ever so slightly; perhaps Lea was right. Gang life contained quite a bit of violence after all.

Footsteps drew the group's attention towards the right and they all said hellos as Knight and Katia walked towards them, just having gathered their supplies after the opening assembly as well. Katia's smart blue eyes, complete with mixing yellows and greens, turned their attention to Kagome and she nodded. "Kijo," she greeted, reshouldering her bag. "We heard a fight over hear, it sounded like. Is everything alright?"

"It was Lea having at Chichi again," Morioka explained, seeming unimpressed by the face. She cocked her porcelain face to the side. "And then Seila...simplified Kagome-dono's locker."

Katia and Knight turned to examine the hole where Kagome's lock had once been. Knight blinked, scratching her purple head confusedly. "Well, I guess that's one way to do it. I always just use the combination on mine, though."

Just as Knight said this, Kagome's phone began to beep and she dug it out of her messenger bag, glancing at the text message that awaited her: 'Kagz I left u a house key under da door mat at my place. It's urz. See u after practice.'

Kagome was staring so intently at the message that Knight furrowed her brow and waved a pale hand before her leader's face. "Kijo? Hello? What does it say?"

After a while of staring at the phone in disbelief, Kagome snorted and dropped it back in her bag. "Inuyasha keyed me," she replied, looking almost sour. "We talked for like three hours today and he forgot to mention that, oh yeah, I left you a key under my _door mat. _What am I, the maid? The door mat?!"

The other girls winced. "Ugh, getting keyed is the worst," Katia agreed, shaking he head mildly. The leopard marks under and above her eyes stretched as she widened her eyes at the irony of the situation. "I remember when Hiten keyed me in the tenth grade; he actually put the key on my key chain before he told me three days later. I didn't even notice."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "You dated Hiten?"

"Katia gets around," Knight said with a wide grin, throwing an arm around an irritated Katia's shoulder. "The real question is who _hasn't _she dated!"

"That's not true," Katia mumbled, crossing her tan arms indignantly. "I just have a lot of close guys friends."

"Wow; the dating web around here is really complicated," Kagome mused as they began to leave the locker room together.

"You think _that's _complicated?" Knight laughed. "Man, have we got stories for you!"

Seila and Morioka sighed; it was going to be a long walk to the parking lot.

919191

Ryuukoytsusei blinked his crimson eyes against the sunlight outside, reshouldering his gear bag as he made his way through the school courtyard towards the football locker room. Students flooded the walkways as they laughed and talked on the way to their cars, though Ryuu walked alone. In fact, there was a noticeable sphere around him which remained untouched by any students, friend or foe. They seemed to give him an incredibly wide berth as they hurried around him, hushing their conversations respectfully until they passed. Ryuu scowled slightly, startling a group of nearby girls into squeals; while he'd worked very hard to maintain a feared reputation, he was now regretting that decision as he searched unsuccessfully for a new second in command. He'd been fine after Juuromaru's death when it was simply him and the other Dragons, but now he was leading the North; he couldn't afford untied ends and a second in command was a necessary element of his rule.

"Eep!"

Even the normally unfettered Ryuukoytsusei Tousen gave a slight start as a girl practically appeared on the ground before him, books spilling out on the earth and bag ripping wide open on the brick. The Dragon was wide eyed, eyebrow cocked curiously as he observed the sight before him with his usual air of aloof irritation. Several students nearby gasped at the sight, wondering if they were about to witness Ryuu's first kill of the school year.

The girl groaned, untangling her long limbs as she rubbed her aching palms; that was the umpteenth time she'd fallen that morning. The girl turned her honest blue gaze up to meet Ryuu's flat red one. "I'm so sorry, I just totally blocked your way. I'm just a walking disaster today."

A group of students standing nearby smacked their foreheads; who did this girl think she was, speaking so plainly with the great Ryuukoytsusei of the Dragons? She was surely going to die.

Ryuu watched blankly as this blonde girl gathered the books scattered around her, meaning to put them in her bag until she finally realized that the scraggly thing was ripped. "Oh no! My bag broke!"

When Ryuu realized that students were gathering by the bunches, he shot the small audience a crimson glare so scathing that the nearby flowers wilted in despair. The teenagers gasped and began literally running from the scene, desperate to escape Ryuu's well known wrath with their bodies intact. Soon, the remainder of the student body had passed and begun driving away in their supped up sports cars, ready to meet at their respective headquarters to begin the gang year anew.

Ryuu stood stock still, staring down at the blonde as she stacked her many books atop one another, wrapping her long arms around them before attempting to stand. As she did this, Ryuu was startled to find that she was quite tall and came up to at least his shoulder; most girls barely even reached his chest. She managed to arrive unsteadily atop her feet, but when she reached down to shoulder her ripped messenger bag, the girl's left leg gave way and she winced. The books fell to the ground along with her this time.

"I'm so useless today!" the girl exclaimed, pretty face pink with frustration.

After realizing that he was still standing in the same place as he had been two minutes previously, Ryuukoytsusei did something very unlike himself. He dropped his gear bag to the ground and crouched down, helping the girl as she attempted to regroup the books a second time.

"Thanks so much," she bubbled, already smiling again. Her smile was so radiant Ryuu almost had to look away; it was brighter than the sun he'd been attempting to escape only minutes before.

The Dragon leader looked at her with a sort of incredulity only akin to complete and total loss. His mouth was closed and his eyes rather wide, as though he were observing a new species of animal. This girl didn't seem to fear him in the least and something about this whole situation made him feel warm inside.

As the two stood to their feet, the blonde seemed to come close to tripping for a third time. This time, however, a strong hand clamped around her bicep and steadied her; the girl looked down in surprise at the strong hand around her arm and smiled sunnily.

"Thanks! I don't have the best balance, as I guess you can tell! My name is Shale Johannsen!"

The girl held out her hand and Ryuu looked down at it, staring at the slender, pale appendage oddly. Shale looked unhaltingly at him before finally urging, "What's your name?"

The Dragon leader seemed to think for a moment, as though debating on whether or not imparting such information to this girl was worth his time, when he finally responded, "Ryuukoytsusei Tousen." He shook her hand curtly, gravelly voice adding to what he was sure was a scary enough image to frighten this girl away.

"Nice to meet you Ryuukoytsusei!" Shale exclaimed, smiling up at him as though meeting him were the most fulfilling experience in her life thus far. "I just moved here from America."

The Dragon snorted flatly. "Go figure."

Shale seemed not to notice Ryuu's standoffishness and simply gathered her books from his hands, stacking them successfully this time with the messenger bag already secure on her shoulder. "It was nice meeting you Ryuukoytsusei; I've got to get going if I want to make it home before sundown, but I'll see you tomorrow!"

With this, the girl began walking through the courtyard towards the parking lot; instead of entering said parking lot, however, she turned right on the sidewalk and continued walking towards the stoplight. It took Ryuu a moment to realize that this girl was not the proud owner of a car and was intending to walk home. He also noticed her limp, which became painfully visible when her arms were laden down with a stack of books. Shaking his head at the sight, Ryuu grabbed his own gear bag and began jogging towards the locker rooms, hoping that this strange encounter wouldn't earn him 30 Bear Climbs.

919191

Mizumi tightened the already vice grip she had around her bag handles as she walked slowly towards the doors to the dance balcony. She was dressed in a black tank top, spandex shorts and black footless tights, prepared for her first experience with the South Tokyo dance department. The bag in her hands contained every pair of dance shoes she could possibly need for this experience, but she was beginning to wonder if they would do her any good. Despite the fact that she'd been the top of her class at the dance academy, she'd heard positively glowing things about this school's department and was losing confidence with every step she took.

Pushing the door open slightly, Mizumi hesitated a glance through the door crack and saw several girls warming up on the bar, chatting excitedly. From what she could see, they looked exactly like her; dressed in dance clothes with shoe bags nearby, wide eyed with excitement and anticipation. Perhaps she had nothing to worry about after all.

Taking a deep breath, Mizumi walked quietly inside, wincing as the door shut behind her with a sort of smacking sound. None of the girls paused in their talking and stretching, so the dragon girl walked towards the bar and dropped her bag below her, reaching up to make sure her braid was secure. This was merely a nervous habit, as Mizumi's french braids had become practically flawless after all these years doing it herself, but she needed something to occupy her hands. It was always that way when she was nervous.

When no one screamed at her for being in the room, she decided to begin her warmup. Mizumi slid her leg on top of the bar, allowing her hips to disjoint peacefully as she bent elegantly over the bar until her nose was pressed against her knee cap. The girl felt finally in her element and she couldn't help but smile as she continued stretching, arching her back gracefully as though her body was made of silk. Nothing relaxed her like dance.

One of the girls nearby, a redheaded girl with spiral curls and rich green eyes, arranged herself on the bar behind Mizumi, watching as this mysterious green haired girl continued to stretch. When Mizumi reached down and grabbed the arch of her foot, raising her leg upside her body until her foot was bent completely over her head, the brunette realized that there might be more to this strange dancer than met the eye; she was flexible enough that she could've been studying for more than a decade.

"Are you new?"

Mizumi jumped at the voice, which she found incredibly embarrassing since she hadn't noticed the girl's presence in the first place. Recovering from her shock, Mizumi attempted to control her blush as she turned and faced this girl, who looked incredibly interested by her presence. "I...yeah, I just moved here from America," she explained.

"That's so cool!" the redhead replied, smiling winningly; Mizumi noticed that this girl's entire body was covered in freckles, literally from head to foot; secondly, the dragon demon noticed the absolutely enormous breasts on the otherwise thin girl's chest. "I'm Fennella, but you can call me Fenn."

"Mizumi," the dragon replied with a small smile, one which she felt didn't even compare to Fenn's enormous, sparkling grin.

"How long have you been dancing for?" Fenn asked as she lifted her leg to the bar, beginning her routine stretches. Mizumi glanced down at Fenn's legs, which were muscled and long.

"13 years," Mizumi replied, trying to seem at ease. She knew this girl seemed nice, but she'd become so wary of cuthroat dancers trying to get ahead at any cost. She hadn't made any friends at her dance academy and, in turn, had originally planned not to make friends in this department either.

But Fenn seemed not to notice Mizumi's discomfort. "Since you were three? You're a lot more intense than me; I started five years ago."

"And you're already in the advanced class?" Mizumi asked in disbelief.

Fenn merely shrugged her freckled shoulders. "Eh, I play a lot of soccer and I can jump pretty high. I have about as much finesse as a dump truck, though."

As the redhead said this, the doors to the dance balcony burst wide open and Shitora Taisho came walking confidently into the room, smiling rakishly at all the girls at the bar. "Hello ladies!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms wide in an ostentatious manner. She was wearing a red leotard with black spandex shorts and footless tights, an outfit which accentuated the perfect manner of her curves and proportions.

Mizumi's eyes widened as her eyes landed on Shitora's breasts; next to Shitora and Fennella, Mizumi felt like a washboard. "Wow," she murmured. "Who's that?"

"Shitora Taisho," Fenn replied, glancing up as the many dancers screamed in happy surprise and ran towards Shitora, wrapping their childhood friend in hugs and exclaiming in loud squeals how happy they were to see her. "She's Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's little sister; she's been away at boarding school, but I guess she's finally come back."

Mizumi gave Shitora a once over with her crimson eyes, noting the incredible shape of her leg muscles and her perfect posture; Mizumi had no idea who Inuyasha or Sesshomaru were, but she supposed they were important enough to warrant Fenn's mentioning. All Mizumi really cared about was her competition. "Is she any good?"

Fenn snorted. "She swept nationals clean last year. First in hip hop, third in jazz, second in tap."

Mizumi's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she computed this news, watching as Shitora talked with the other girls; the hanyou obviously had enough attitude to go around, what with the way she popped her hip and gestured with her hands. Her amber eyes were mischievuos and obstinant, containing a strong, determined twinkle that chilled Mizumi to the bone.

"What about ballet?" she asked.

At this, Fenn released a small, ironic smile. "She placed like thirteenth or something."

"Really? That's seems so strange after her other good marks," Mizumi murmured, emerald eyebrows furrowing confusedly.

"Look at her feet," Fenn explained, allowing her own glance to drift toward's Shitora's bare feet.

Mizumi looked only for a moment before her crimson eyes seemed to gleam with understanding. She said quietly, "She has bad feet. And her turnout is weak."

"Very bad and very weak," Fenn agreed, sighing slightly. Her green eyes glimmered with something akin to sympathy. "Sucks, huh? She's damn good, but she could never dance Swan Lake with those feet."

Mizumi shrugged. "Feet and turnout aren't everything. If she worked really hard, she might be able to mimic Margo Fontaine and use charisma to make up for those things."

But Fenn looked incredibly skeptical. Her ample busom bounced as she straightened up from a waist bend. "Yeah, but Margo Fontaine doesn't come along but every once in a century. And without ballet in her repetoire, it's gonna be hard for her to get a job."

Though it pained Mizumi to think of a fellow dancer being unable to pursue a career in the business, she knew that Fenn's words had truth. Ballet was the root of all dancing and without a strong foundation in it, a dancer couldn't get very far. Though Shitora had placed thirteenth at nationals and this was a feat to be admired, she would need to be in the top ten to be considered as a primary for any of the worthwhile companies in town.

"Did you compete in nationals in America?" Fennella asked conversationally, green eyes curious and kind.

Mizumi nodded menially. "Yeah, I did."

"How did you do?" Fenn pressed. Despite the girl's amicable nature, Mizumi knew she was preparing to compete with each dancer in the room and not even friendship could change that.

Yet Mizumi didn't take offense and merely responded, "I did well." Even though Mizumi knew this answer wouldn't satisfy the redhead, she couldn't help but try; it wasn't in Mizumi's nature to brag.

"No, really, what places?" Fenn pushed as Mizumi had predicted.

Though she avoided the girl's curious green gaze, Mizumi still replied, "First in ballet, second in tap, second in jazz, seventh in hip hop."

Mizumi could see Fennella's stunned gaze in the mirror, but she continued to look down at her feet, focusing on her turnout as she pushed from her hips. Fenn's jaw was practically on the floor as she observed this emerald haired girl, who had come seemingly out of nowhere with a sterling record from America, of all places. Taking first in ballet in a country so large was certainly something to be admired and Fenn couldn't even bring herself to be jealous; it was hard to be jealous of a goddess.

"Dear sweet Kami!" Fenn exclaimed in a heated whisper. "That kicks Shitora's record right out the door! And in America! Holy crap!"

Mizumi continued to fight down her blush, focusing all of her attention on the angle of her left arm as she moved easily into second position. "Well, I did intensive study at a dance academy...and anyway, American technique is light years behind everywhere else, especially Japan and Russia. So...I'm nothing special."

Fenn was about to say something in response, but the dance balcony doors opened once more to reveal a tall and elegant woman of about thirty years of age. Her hair was long and curled into perfect spirals, the color of a dark blue ocean. Her eyes were a deep rose pink and her skin a perfect caramel; she was clothed in wide legged paisely pants and a tight black leotard beneath, looking like a model right out of a ballet pamphlet. Mizumi couldn't remember seeing such a beautiful woman in all her days, not even her late mother.

"Hello everyone!" the woman exclaimed, voice like the light tinling of bells. "I'm Polyhymnia Pierre, but you may call me Poly-sensei like everyone else does." The woman clasped her hands together, causing her many rings to clink. "I've taught most of you before, but I see a few new faces out there and that's great! The audition process is going to be pretty simple and probably unlike anything you've ever done before, though I think you'll enjoy it. This is going to be a memory excercise, really: I'll show you a two minute long combination and then I want you all to get out here in a big group and go for as long as you can remember. We'll do a ballet combination and a jazz combination; afterwards, we'll talk about the dance team that performs at football games and run through some steps to see who's up to performing at the game two weeks from now. Now in the combinations, I'll be looking for technique and character, so dance your hearts out and don't be nervous. While I watch you, I'll be ranking you for the purpose of selecting this year's dance leaders. Every year, we select the two strongest students to choreograph the fall and spring recitals, lead the school dance team and demonstrate in class. It's a big honor and I wish you all luck! Now everyone watch me; we'll begin with the jazz combination."

The girls gathered around as Poly-sensei started the music to All that Jazz. The girls marveled at her magnificent movements, which were perfect and precise. She looked so full of life as she pirouetted and postured, throwing her arms with such expertise that Mizumi was almost embarrassed to dance in this woman's presence. Her technique was absolutely perfect and her movements flawless; judging by her name, Poly-sensei had studied in France. This in and of itself was quite telling.

The dancers watched every move, calculated every step, and commited to memory every combination before the two minutes finally came to an end. While most of the girls were wondering how they would ever complete the complicated routine, two girls knew exactly how far they could go.

"Alright, everyone step out and give it a try!" Poly-sensei announced, not even appearing winded by the saucy steps.

As the class assembled in a group before the mirror, the teacher positioned herself by the stereo and waited until all 30 of the dancers appeared ready to start. "Everyone ready? Here we go!"

As soon as the music started, the dancers set their bodies into action. Arms lilted and legs moved with great skill as they twisted and turned, jumping and moving themselves in sometimes near impossible ways. At around the thirty second mark, the first girl dropped out and others were soon to follow. As Mizumi pirouetted and leapt into a Russian, she looked straight into the mirror to watch Fennella, who was dancing on her right in the third row. True to her word, Fenn had great legs and her flexibility was to be coveted. Though the phrase "as much finesse as a dump truck" was a little exaggerated, Fenn did indeed lack the true dancer's grace. She left the floor at about the minute mark when a good many others could remember no further.

Shitora was not nervous, nor was she even the slightest bit ruffled as she danced the routine, making sure to keep herself perfectly supported and her body at the most excellent angle. Indeed, she couldn't help but smile; dancing brought Shitora the greatest joy of anything in the world and she wasn't afraid to show it. It wasn't long before the girls were dropping like flies and the hanyou smirked, thinking to herself, _Hah, just like I thought, I'm the best. I knew Ranbou was crazy; I'm always the best._

But it was then that Shitora noticed a girl dancing some five feet away from her also remained. The two were soon the only ones left as they approached 1 minute and 45 seconds, a fact which irritated Shitora to no end. Her smile began to fade as she continued executing the steps flawlessly, watching this green haired dancer in the mirror. Why wouldn't she drop? Shitora had to admit that this girl had a great deal of training and talent, making her a formidable opponent. Obviously, even her memory wasn't shod. This made Shitora quite nervous and angry for some reason. She scowled for the remaining fifteen seconds.

When Poly-sensei cut off the music, she smiled at all of the girls, allowing her grin to stop on Shitora and Mizumi. "Well done, everyone, especially you two. What are your names?"

"Shitora Taisho," said the hanyou before Mizumi could even open her mouth.

Mizumi could feel challenging and threatening waves rolling off the dog demon girl beside her, but she still responded quietly, "Mizumi Tousen."

At the sound of the name "Tousen," whispers and gasps broke out amongst the girls and Fennella raised an eyebrow; as in Ryuukoytsusei Tousen? Mizumi had tactfully forgotten to mention that during their meeting. It didn't matter to Fennella in the end, but she knew it would matter to the other Wildcats. Fennella was an integral part of Ayame's personal Nakama guard, but they didn't necessarily care about anyone in the North. Rin and Sango's Nakamas would be the ones to object.

"Yes," Poly-sensei said loudly above the whispers, "well done both of you. But, for future reference, Mizumi, you need to pay attention to your hip placement."

Mizumi nodded respectfully, saying, "Yes, sensei," while Shitora crossed her arms triumphantly. Though Mizumi obviously had her flaws, Shitora was still angered by the thought that she wouldn't be the best in this class. Something had to be done.

"Okay, girls, a minute break, and then we'll go into the ballet routine," the teacher announced, smiling a bright smile as her pink eyes shone with delight.

Shitora watched as Mizumi wandered towards the bar, never breaking focus for a moment; she was already stretching again. Shitora ignored the laughing and talking of her many friends as she walked purposefully towards Mizumi, planning to find out a little more about this girl.

"You're new," Shitora observed, leaning against the bar beside Mizumi as she rapidly moved through the positions.

Mizumi was quite startled by the voice and jumped, looking up at Shitora with wide eyes; even though the hanyou wasn't very large, she still had about four inches on Mizumi. Though she knew this hanyou girl didn't like her, Mizumi answered her anyway; she didn't need to make enemies so early on.

"Yeah. I just moved here," Mizumi replied, looking cautiously up at the hanyou with honest crimson eyes.

Shitora narrowed her amber ones, crossing her sun-kissed arms over her chest. "Really. You know Ryuukoytsusei?"

"My brother," Mizumi answered again, shying nervously away from Shitora's gaze. Though she'd easily confronted Kagura that morning, Shitora was a completely different story; it was easy for Mizumi to confront someone so obviuosly whorish and stupid because she had great disdain for people such as this. Shitora didn't seem whorish or stupid and, in fact, nearly the opposite of these things. She was also quite a good dancer, even better than Mizumi had guessed; when the hanyou danced, you barely even noticed her inferior feet and turn out.

"Huh, great, another one of you," Shitora said sourly, being purposefully rude to the girl in hopes that it might throw off her dancing.

Mizumi frowned; _Yeah, okay, maybe your feet are worse that I thought. In fact, yeah, I noticed them a bunch. Terrible feet. _"Do you not like my brother?"

"He's a cold hearted murderer with deep emotional imperfections, but other than that..." Shitora trailed off rudely, rolling her amber eyes to the sky in mock thoughtfulness.

_Not only are your feet bad, but your turn out sucks. Sucks hard. _"My brother is a good person."

"He's a good person like my brothers are tuba players," Shitora scoffed, tossing her head like a show horse. Her snow white hair, constricted in a high ponytail, gave a pompous swish as she resettled her icy amber gaze on Mizumi.

_Shitty-ass feet and fucking awful turnout. _"I guess your opinion is your own," Mizumi said simply, turning her back to Shitora as she dipped in a few experimental plies. Shitora scowled.

"Alright, ladies, gather round for the ballet routine! Put on your pointe shoes as I find the track."

Shitora gave Mizumi one last scathing glance which Mizumi could swear she felt all the way in her toes; it was ice cold like a winter snow drift. Shitora jogged towards her shoe bag and grabbed it fiercely, hurriedly sitting down next to some of the girls she knew as they laced up their pointe shoes, extending their toes habitually. Mizumi sighed and took a seat beside Fennella, who was sitting with her back against one of the mirrors as she donned her pointe shoes.

"I don't think Shitora likes me," Mizumi said quietly.

Fennella glanced over at the Taisho girl, who was indeed giving Mizumi ice cold glares with her fierce amber eyes. "You could be right; you're a threat," Fenn reasoned, shrugging her freckled shoulders and upsetting her large chest. "She's a dog demon after all; they're pretty territorial."

"Aren't lion demons as well?" Mizumi asked in a seemingly innocent voice.

When Fennella grinned this time, a pair of sharp fangs were visible that hadn't been so before. "You noticed; most people can't see past the cover-up spell."

"Why do you use one?" the Dragon demon asked as she slipped her final foot into its shoe, feeling her toes come in contact with the hard shoe pointe.

Fenn chuckled almost bitterly. "My clan had some trouble with the Leopard demons this summer and my dad is big in the family, so me and all my brothers are wearing one for a little while; this way, we won't have trouble at school with the Leopard kids. The spell masks our scent so they'll practically forget we're here."

"Sorry, that sucks that you have to wear a mask spell," Mizumi said apologetically.

But Fenn shook her head with that dazzling grin of hers, this time with the spell back in place and fangs gone from sight. "Not as much as you'd think. It's nice to find out what it's like to look human for a while. No one bothers me like they used to."

Mizumi furrowed her brow as she briefly entertained the thought of being human, but her musings were cut off as Poly-sensei said, "Okay, here we go!" and started the music.

The dragon demon was surprised and pleased when she recognized the music as Esemeralda's Tarantella, a part she'd played in the Dance Academy production of the Hunchback of Notre Dame the previous year. Poly-sensei danced the routine much the same way as Mizumi had and the dragon girl breathed an inner sigh of relief; this time she could focus more on her hips and less on the memory.

The combination was comprised of many turns and high kicks, which were Shitora's forte; the hanyou smirked. Now she would show that little Dragon brat what was what.

"Alright, ladies," Poly-sensei announced as she lowered back to the ground, tapping her black pointe shoes against the hardwood. "Line up!"

The girls arranged themselves before the mirror in a slightly different assembly this time; most of the dancers made sure to place themselves behind Shitora and Mizumi so that they could hopefully follow their moves if they forgot them. Shitora shot a glance at Mizumi, who had ended up right next to her, and Mizumi sighed, eyes troubled; she was trying not to think about the hanyou girl's rude words. It was all about the dance now.

When the music started, Mizumi was off in a flash, turning her wrists and clapping correctly as Poly-sensei had shown. Her extensions were magnificent and her high kicks perfectly straight as she followed the steps she knew by heart. Beside her, Shitora was keeping right in rhythm at an admirable skill level, especially for one so lacking in turnout and foot shape. The girls twirled quickly and several dancers began dropping out, this time at a much faster rate than before. Ballet was especially challenging to memorize and this routine was no small feat.

Fennella finally gave up after about forty five seconds and joined the growing throng of panting dancers near the bar to the right. They all watched in collective awe as Shitora and Mizumi continued relentlessly, showing no sings of stopping, even despite the difficulty of the steps.

"God, that Tousen girl is good!" one of the girls said, aghast.

"The best I've ever seen! Is she a senior?"

"I don't know, she's kind of small."

"She's so flexible, it's like rubber or something! She's almost as flexible as Shitora!"

"Maybe _more _flexible..."

"Her technique is perfect! Sure, her hips were off a little at first, but look at her now! It's like watching a professional prima!"

Fennella listened to the chatter, smiling slightly; no matter how much Shitora disliked it, it looked as though Mizumi was at the top of their class.

Shitora, meanwhile, was growing absolutely furious and hot with rage. The dragon beside her continued easily, as though she were exerting no effort, but Shitora was working her hardest to keep from stumbling over these ridiculous steps. Every single thing about the emerald haired girl irked her, her perfect positioning, the line of her legs, the happiness in her eyes, and especially her smile. That smile hadn't left her face since they started dancing and just the sight of it made Shitora want to scream and absolutely tear her to shreds.

As they approached the last twenty seconds, Shitora glanced down at Mizumi's feet and suddenly came upon a brilliant idea. It would take the perfect timing and the perfect motion, especially to fool the demons, but she didn't see any cat-like demons in the room; that would make this much easier. With superior cat vision, they might be able to discern the complications that would soon arise for Mizumi. Unbenknownst to Shitora, she was neglecting to notice Fennella as she leaned against the bar in to the right, mask perfectly in face and all traces of demon heritage gone from her appearance.

As they neared the fouettes, a group of nine full-body turns with the leg extended, Shitora made her move; it was so quick that humans missed it entirely and demons felt as though they'd blinked at the wrong moment, but it was there. Shitora allowed her anchor foot to dart out in an invisible flash, catching Mizumi's own anchor foot and kicking it out from under her.

Mizumi gasped as she felt herself falling, but it was too late. She fell towards Shitora and, as she did so, Shitora timed her turn just perfectly so that her claws met Mizumi's face at a single precise moment.

Before anyone knew what was happening, Shitora's claws drew down Mizumi's cheek in what looked like an accident, causing blood to pour from three open wounds before the Dragon girl even hit the ground.

The other students gasped and Shitora put on a perfect look of mock surprise as she continued the routine flawlessly, with even more confidence than she'd had before. Mizumi hit the ground with a thud with only seven or eight seconds remaining and anxiety engulfed her; had Shitora just tripped her on purpose?

"Mizumi, good lord, are you alright?" Poly-sensei asked urgently, kneeling down beside Mizumi as she clamped a hand to her face.

Shitora bent down condescendingly and said, "Oh, sorry, but you fell on my claws!"

Poly-sensei said dismissively, "Oh, it's not your fault, Shitora, these things happen; everyone falls once in a while."

"Yeah," Shitora agreed, barely holding back her smirk; she'd just secured herself a spot in the South Tokyo dance program and she was well aware of it.

Fennella hurried to Mizumi's side, kneeling down and addressing the stunned looking girl. "Are you okay, Mizumi?"

"Um...I...I feel like she-" Mizumi glanced over at Shitora as she said this, but when their eyes met, Mizumi's words died on her lips. Shitora's amber gaze held many things, as did her smirk, but it was the determination to be the best and the ruthlessness which caught Mizumi's attention the most. Obviously, this girl was desperate to be the best at any cost. The look in those amber eyes made Mizumi freeze and, in that moment, she knew that this battle was solely between her and Shitora. If she told Poly-sensei now, it would make her look like a coward.

"I fell, my bad," Mizumi said quietly, trying to ignore the fiery burning in her face where Shitora's cold claws had done their damage. Blood was pouring over her hand and down her arm, making her look like a bloody spirit.

"You should go on down to the nurse," Poly-sensei said, smiling sadly. "She'll fix you up. Do you need anyone to go with you?"

Mizumi shook her head, which ended up being more painful than she'd planned. "No, I'd rather go alone." And with this, Mizumi rose to her feet and hurried from the room, emerald green braid flying out behind her as she left through the double doors.

Fennella watched her new friend leave in a rush and narrowed her eyes, turning her gaze back towards Shitora Taisho. The hanyou was watching the whole scene smugly, all traces of remorse gone, and Fennella concealed a scowl; the lion demon had seen it all and now she knew: Shitora Taisho would stop at nothing to be the best.

919191

Bankotsu squinted against the brightness of the sun as he lifted his water bottle, squirting the inviting cold liquid into his scorching mouth. The heat had come back ten fold in honor of the first football practice and the entire team was sweating and miserable. Bear had made them run sprints for the first thirty minutes of practice and now they were playing a full scrimmage to practice running the ball. As the team took a water break, they tried not to listen to the sound of cicadas crying in the trees or think about the intense sun above their heads.

"Hey, Hiten," Bear called, throwing up one meaty hand.

Hiten glanced over and asked, "Yeah, coach?"

"Go check the thermometer on the western upright."

Hiten jogged to the specified upright and glanced at the thermometer, calling, "111!"

The boys groaned and several began squirting their water over the faces, ignoring the damp feeling of their pads and jerseys as it chaffed their arms.

Bankotsu rolled his crimson eyes at the news of the heat, walking aimlessly as he drank his water. He noticed Kouga sitting on the bench rolling his wrist and frowned, walking towards the wolf demon. "Ko? You alright?" he asked.

Kouga glanced up at Bankotsu, trying to hide the pain in his ice blue eyes. "Yeah, I'm good."

"I dunno, I saw you get tackled a whole hell of a lot out there," Bankotsu remembered. Indeed, Kouga, the team's all star running back, had been pummeled several times that morning by the opposing scrimmage team.

The wolf demon shrugged, lifting his black ponytail off his neck as his muscles protested even the slightest motion. "Yeah, well, that's what happens when your block doesn't happen. Know what I mean?"

Bankotsu thought about this comment for a moment before glancing over in Inuyasha's direction; the silver-haired hanyou was the designated right block, meaning that it was his job to guard Kouga when he made runs down the field. If Kouga's statement was true, and Bankotsu had the strangest idea that it was, then Kouga's numerous beatings had not been his fault as everyone had been presuming. Coach Bear had said nothing on the subject, though Bankotsu knew this was a tactic to strengthen the team bond; if they couldn't talk to each other about issues, they would never make it anywhere. And this happened to be an issue: Inuyasha was letting his rivalry with Kouga stretch onto the field.

"I'll keep an eye out; if he doesn't block you, I will," Bankotsu assured Kouga.

Grinning tiredly, Kouga murmured, "Thanks Bank, your the man."

Over on the other bleachers, Ranbou, Sesshomaru, Bear and Inuyasha were playing a tired game of "name that movie." They would each say a quote and wait for the others to yell out the movie title; currently, Ranbou was winning.

"Alright, I got one," Bear said confidently, grinning as sun gleamed off his bald head. "'Take it to the mattresses.'"

The boys thought for a moment before Sesshomaru said demurely, "The Godfather."

Inuyasha and Ranbou hissed at their defeat, cursing as they both wiped sweat from their faces and necks. As Sesshomaru readjusted his thigh pad, he said, "Alright. Try this: 'With great opportunity comes great responsibility.'"

There was another moment's pause before Ranbou said, "Miracle."

Bear snapped his fingers disappointedly. "Ah, you got me there, Bo. I almost had that one."

"Our bad, coach, we should give you some Vin Diesel quotes," Ranbou teased, bringing the surrounding boys to laughter. It was an ongoing joke between the football players that Bear looked like a taller Vin Diesel and they often called him "Mr. Diesel" just for fun.

The game began to break apart as players mingled about, many laying out on the grass during their break. Ranbou cracked his neck for the third time that day and glanced at Inuyasha, who was drinking from a water bottle beside him. "Hey, Yash, we should really get you some wall lessons," he said menially, rolling his large, tan shoulders.

Inuyasha glanced up, asking boredly, "Yeah, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you're lettin' through everybody who knocks on the right door and Ko's gettin' his ass kicked," Ranbou explained.

The hanyou could tell by Ranbou's tone that he wasn't kidding around and was actually quite serious; when it came to his family, he became so. Inuyasha continued to drink his water in silence, feeling Ranbou's lingering stare on his face, before he finally mumbled, "Sorry, m'havin' an off day." He avoided Ranbou's eyes, standing to his feet and escaping to the cooler to fill up his bottle once more.

Ranbou watched him go, frowning; it seemed that Inuyasha was copping out just as he'd suspected. Sesshomaru watched the exchange between Ranbou and Inuyasha, silently wondering how long it would take Inuyasha and Kouga to put aside their ridiculous feud. He still didn't understand their differences or troubles to this very day; ever since the day Sesshomaru had brought Kouga home after playing next door, his brother had disliked him and it was all down hill from there; where was the disconnect?

"Sesshomaru."

The voice of his coach brought Sesshomaru out of his trance and he refocused her amber eyes, which were startlingly pale as compared to their normal bright yellow. His hollow cheeks and sunken gaze made the Fang leader hard to look at and Bear was obviously struggling. His blue eyes were filled with concern as he gazed at the boy; worry looked strangely heartbreaking on Bear's kind face as he straddled the bench and crossed his arms tightly; even his tribal tattoos seemed tight with stress.

"Yes, Coach?" Sesshomaru prompted calmly.

"You're looking a little sick, Shomo; are you alright?" Bear asked carefully, looking so caring that Sesshomaru wanted to look away.

"Fine. As I'm sure you've heard, we had minor troubles this summer with one of Naraku's outbursts...his last, consequently. But everyone is suffering as we try to get back into real life," Sesshomaru said dismissively.

He looked away then as he had so badly wanted to just moments before. Bear sighed slightly, though it was very quiet.

"You and I both know thats a half lie, kiddo. Everyone's suffering and dealing with it...everyone but you."

Sesshomaru was silent and neglected to meet his Coach's eyes. His hands were restlessly playing with the chin strap of the helmet in his hands as he looked intently at the grass, seeming like a man of 50 rather than a boy of 18. Rin and Inuyasha had been nattering away at him for days, letting him know exactly how much his self-imposed starvation was bothering them. Even after all these days of begging him to eat something, they had yet to ask him why. Why was he starving himself? Sesshomaru knew the answer, as it was quite a conscious decision, but he knew the others wouldn't understand. Sesshomaru found it incredibly unfair that his friends and family were now going through more pain because of his health problems, when in all reality this entire starvation issue had to do with their happiness in the first place. In fact, Sesshomaru was almost afraid for the future at this point; he could do nothing to help himself now.

"This is me dealing with it," Sesshomaru said finally, standing to his feet resolutely and staring out at the field. "Let's get started again."

Bear nodded calmly, knowing that the answers would all come in time. This decided, the Coach stood and blew his whistle, motioning for the others to resituate themselves in their positions. The boys bit back groans as they continued their conversations out onto the field, giving each other friendly punches and grinning at the thought of playing football, even if it were in this sweltering heat.

Half the team re-donned their red jerseys, facing off against the white team with their respective quarterbacks of Ranbou and Hakkaku, who was second in line for quarterback and normally nose tackle. Bankotsu bent down, glancing across the sea of red and white bodies until his eyes landed on Kouga and Inuyasha, who were crouched silently beside one another preparing for the impending play. Keeping true to his word, Bankotsu never let Inuyasha leave his sight as the play began.

"Go!" Bear shouted.

"Hike!"

Ranbou caught the ball deftly as the two sides crashed with the plastic cracks of helmets; his eyes immediately roamed to the left, as Bear had set up the team to repeat the same play for the afternoon. The ball was going to Kouga and everyone knew it.

The football spiraled through the air and Kouga began to run, leaving Inuyasha struggling to keep up behind his speeding heels. The ball arrived safely in Kouga's arms, though trouble was upon him quickly in the form of Manten, Hiten's beastly older brother. With a roaring grunt, Manten charged towards the wolf demon running back, who was trapped by the melee on other side and had no where to feint.

Bankotsu watched in near disbelief as Inuyasha simply ceased to block for Kouga.

As Inuyasha fell back into motionless, Kouga barely had time to glance back at his blocker before Manten was upon him, hitting him so hard and fast that Kouga was literally knocked back several feet. The play came to an abrupt halt as Bear blew the whistle and the team eased their muscles into stand still positions, glancing over at Kouga as he lay unmoving on the ground; the team began to take off their helmets and wipe away the already fresh sheens of sweat on their brows.

It took a very grave matter to make Bankotsu lose control of his temper, seeing as though he practically didn't have one in the first place, but this was one of those times when he couldn't even see straight because of the crimson bleeding across his vision. In a startling display of violence, Bankotsu straightened up and ripped off his helmet, throwing it to the ground and seeming not to notice as it rolled several feet from him; he was already half way to Inuyasha anyway.

Inuyasha stared, wide eyed and confused at Bankotsu, as the boy gave him a challenging shove to the chest guard. "What the hell is wrong with you, Inuyasha?! Are you just gonna sit your ass on the line and do nothing while Kouga gets his ass kicked?! Some fucking friend you are!"

"Bankotsu, that's enough," Bear said sternly, brow furrowed as he watched his normally calm and light hearted tight-end bare his teeth in Inuyasha's face.

"NO!" Bankotsu replied hottly, stunning the rest of his teammates; Bear was like their friend, but they wouldn't dare speak to him that way. No matter how friendly, he would always be their coach and their superior. In his rage, however, Bankotsu couldn't see friend or foe. "This little bastard acts like friends, brothers and the rest of his people don't mean dick, like they aren't going through the exact same thing he is! He can't even set aside a little rivalry with Kouga, even after all the crap they went through together! Even after all that, after everything, Inuyasha is still being a selfish and immature little SHIT!"

When Bankotsu made as though to swing at Inuyasha, he found his way blocked by Bear, who was surprisingly light of foot for his size. He stared down gravely at Bankotsu, all traces of humor gone from his blue eyes as he said coldly, "Bankotsu, I said that's enough!" The muscular man gave Bankotsu a light shove towards the sideline, barking, "Get off this field and go cool off; come back tomorrow when you're ready to control your temper and respect your coach."

Scowling, Bankotsu whipped his head around and stormed off the field, black braid swinging wildly behind him. The others watched him go in deep fascination, not knowing what had become of their level headed friend and leader. The team was silent for a moment before Inuyasha cleared his throat and began walking slowly towards Kouga, who was sitting up woozily, still rolling his sore wrist.

"Sorry," Inuyasha grunted stiffly, reaching down a hand to help Kouga up.

The wolf demon examined it for a moment before taking it, allowing Inuyasha to pull him to his feet. The wolf murmured, "That's the last time I'll take your hand, mutt."

Inuyasha gave a stiff nod, which Kouga mirrored; the two had reached an understanding. Bear and the others watched this go on, marveling over the fact that it had taken a rageful outburst from peaceful, easy-going Bankotsu just to bring their feud to a momentary conclusion. Turning his eyes towards the gym, Bear watched as Bankotsu opened the door with a slam against the wall and stomped towards the locker room, probably to gather his things and head towards the Cobra headquarters.

Hoping the boy would come to terms with whatever was irking him, Bear turned to address the team. "Let's run it again, with less of a Friday Night Lights drama feel this time, ladies..."

The boys chuckled slightly before lining up once more, waiting for the whistle which determined their days.

91919191

Mizumi leaned back against the bench, staring out at the lush grass of the courtyard; she'd made it about half-way towards the main building when she realized that she didn't know where the nurse's office was and, furthermore, didn't want to go anyway. As blood ran down her face, she would occassionally wipe it away with the back of her hand, staring coldly out at the schoolyard. Even though she hadn't been given much of a choice, Mizumi wished she'd never come to this school, to this town.

"Hey."

The dragon girl jumped visibly as a dark haired boy seemed to materialize out of thin air; apparently she'd been more preoccupied than she thought. This boy was tall and handsome, well built like an athlete with a dark braid of shimmering black hair. His eyes were a darker crimson than hers, almost a burgundy, like dried blood. He seemed to be in a bit of an irritable mood, though he still looked handsome in just a white t-shirt and jeans, carrying a bag which Mizumi recognized as one which carried football gear. She frowned; practice couldn't be over already, could it?

"Um, hi," she said quietly, wiping away more blood from her cheek.

Bankotsu looked quietly at this green haired girl, who was sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest on the bench before him. Her little face was cut up by claws, as far as he could tell, but he could see that she was quite pretty in a delicate way. She looked so tiny, so fragile...but yet there was fire in her eyes.

"Are you okay and everything? I smell blood," Bankotsu explained, looking a bit awkward as he stood there holding his bag.

Mizumi was quiet for a moment. "Just some scratches, I'll be fine." As an afterthought, she murmured, "Thank you."

Bankotsu frowned. "For what?"

"For caring," Mizumi replied, smiling softly. "I haven't met a single person at this school who cares about anyone but themselves. Except for you and maybe Fenn."

Despite his terrible mood, Bankotsu smiled in embarrassment, chuckling a bit. He approached the bench until he was standing just in front of her, looking down at this myterious demon girl with large and fascinated eyes. "Wow, I don't think anyone's ever complimented me quite like that before. If it makes you feel any better, only your first week here is going to suck and then it'll get better. Or at least that's how it went for me."

"Really?" Mizumi asked skeptically. "Like, everyone jumps out next monday and goes, 'Surprise, just kidding, we don't hate you?'"

Bankotsu laughed again. "Not quite like that, but it only gets better, I promise."

"Somehow, I think it might be different for me," Mizumi replied. Her eyes became downcast as she found herself unable to look at this nice boy as she spoke her next words. "My brother might be a bit of a roadblock when it comes to me having friends."

"Your brother..." Bankotsu trailed off, narrowing his eyes; who could she possibly be related to? It was then that the realization hit him and he rolled his eyes; green hair, crimson eyes, and a fascinating aura of mystery. "Oh, you're a Tousen. You know, I'd almost forgotten the big guy had siblings, he's been living alone so long."

Mizumi sighed. "I bet you hate him; everyone around here seems to."

"I don't hate him," Bankotsu said in a rather resigned sort of way. "I mean, the guy did pop off the biggest dick around, so I could never really hate him. He did us all a big favor when we were in a bad way and I won't forget that...but some of his men don't know how to keep their fuckery to themselves. Like at races; his boys mess around with mine a lot."

Mizumi nodded slightly; from what she'd gathered, gangs were everything at this school and it didn't matter what kind of life you lead as long as you had a nice car and strong allies. Finally, after observing the dark haired boy, Mizumi murmured, "You can sit down, if you want. If you don't have to go right away."

"Sure," Bankotsu replied with a grin. He allowed his bag to drop to the sidewalk as he took a seat next to Mizumi, resting his hands on his thighs. "So what really happened to your face?"

This evoked a snort from Mizumi. "Do you want the long version or the short version?"

In response, the boy shrugged. "I've got time."

"Well," Mizumi began, wiping away more blood from her cheek, "I went to auditions for the dance class here and our teacher decided that, to see who was best, she would show us a two minute combination and we had to copy it as best we could for as long as we could. I started dancing and kept on ending up next to this girl; she seemed angry with me, but I didn't know why. Finally, at the end of the ballet combination, she tripped me and I caught my cheek on her claws."

Bankotsu let out a whistle. "That's low; what did the teacher do?"

"She didn't see the trip, no one did; it was too fast. She planned it perfectly," Mizumi replied begrudgingly.

"And I thought football was the only thing that had those kind of politics," Bankotsu marveled. "People can get damn violent over the weirdest things, you know?"

"I know!" Mizumi exclaimed, throwing her claws akimbo in exasperation. "I mean, the thing was a competition; whoever's best should win and that's that! She didn't have to trip me, she could've just danced harder."

"Who was it?" Bankotsu asked curiously.

Mizumi blinked her crimson eyes. "Who?"

"The girl who tripped you; who was it?"

The girl bit her lip nervously. "I feel bad spreading rumors; this is between me and her."

But Bankotsu pshawed. "Oh, c'mon, girl, I probably don't even know her."

Suddenly feeling so angry she simply had to tell, Mizumi mumbled, "Okay, well, it was Shitora something or other. I forget her last name."

The look on Bankotsu's face was a mix between surprise and confusion. Was Shitora really so petty? He knew she had a competitive streak a mile wide, as did all Taishos, but would she really stoop so low as to trip someone? It was then that Bankotsu realized: yes, yes, she would. As his eyes fell on Mizumi's scratched face, he felt a strike of righteous indignation on her behalf.

"Okay, well, I do know her," he said quietly. "She's kinda competitive."

"Tell me about it," Mizumi scoffed. "Please, don't tell anyone, I want to settle this just one on one."

Bankotsu smiled. "Naw, I swear I won't tell. It's your fight; I get that. Hey, this is kind of a coincidence anyway; I just got kicked out of football practice for getting in a fight with Shitora's brother, Inuyasha."

Mizumi looked prettily surprised. "You're kidding."

"Nope. He was supposed to be blocking for my friend Kouga, but he and Kouga are rivals so he wasn't doing it. Kouga was getting pummeled by this big guy every time and finally he got laid out flat. I got so mad, I just went off on Inuyasha, telling him how much of a douche he was being, and my coach told me to go get ahold of myself." Bankotsu sighed, glancing down at the concrete. "I mean, I wish I hadn't gotten so angry, but he was being a jackass; Kouga was actually getting hurt because Inuyasha wouldn't do his job."

This seemed to make Mizumi rather angry. "That's so mean! Just because they're rivals, he wouldn't block? That could ruin Kouga's season! I mean, it sounds like he was a running back, right? That's integral!"

Bankotsu grinned. "You into football or something?"

"I'm from America," Mizumi explained. "Everyone's into football. You can't live there and not know at least something about it."

The boy laughed before saying, "But yeah, I agree. Inuyasha and Shitora are just being petty because they can't control themselves. The Taishos have always been like that...except for Sesshomaru, the oldest."

"Is he really wise or something?" Mizumi asked.

"Or something," he agreed. "Right now you can't tell, cause he's lost a lot of weight from sickness or something. But he's the big man on campus: student council president, honors society, all star soccer player, really intense. He's quiet and collected, really mature, but his siblings are nothing like him. The only thing tying them together is stubborness. Sesshomaru is also your brother's arch rival."

"Oh, teriffic," Mizumi said sarcastically, rolling her crimson eyes. "Like I'll be able to keep track of all the people he won't let me talk to by the end of the year. You're probably on that list; are you big in the South?"

Bankotsu rubbed the back of his black head, replying sheepishly, "Well, I lead one of the five gangs."

"Yeah, he would never let me talk to you," Mizumi replied, laughing slightly. "I'm being a rebel right now."

"Hey, rebellion is in," Bankotsu joked.

After a moment of silence, during which both boy and girl studied each other without a single word, Bankotsu held out his hand for Mizumi to shake. "I'm Bankotsu Hiashi."

The girl smiled, placing her smaller hand in his. "I'm Mizumi Tousen."

And so it had begun.

**OH MY GOD, long chapter. But so much fun; I can't explain how important/fun this was for me. It was a blast. I love conflict. Shitora is being a bitch right now, sorry about that, but the point is that people can get intense about the things they love. I know girls who would stop at nothing to get ahead on my soccer team; its the same kind of thing. Thank you everyone for the really positive response I've gotten! Review numbers are positively through the roof! A special thanks to my beat council, who are keeping me on track, and much love to everyone.**

**A special note: the livejournal is up! Friend me!**

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**I've gotten a group going as well and that should be in my groups list or whatever in my info. Check it out and join! Livejournal is really cool, so if you don't already have one, you should totally get one; its really fetch. **

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The sequel is going great and it's all going to be happy until chapter 4; that will be kind of the end of the happiness for a while. So beware; gear yourself up for extreme misery and woe. **

**I love you guys!**

**KOLU**


	4. Ghost Dance Part I

**Here we go with the next chapter. This is going to be one half of a larger chapter; Ghost Dance is pretty lengthy and meat thick with material, so I thought I'd cut it in half to give you guys a break after chapter 2, which was hulking and huge. So here it is; thanks for everyone's positive reviews. This chapter is a lot to think about because I introduce a lot of Wildcats, so keep your eyes out for catchphrases to remember them by; I describe them all in characteristic ways to make it less of a deluge, or at least try to. Read the note at the bottom for other news. Love ya!**

_00000_

_Ghost Dance: the rebellious dance of the Lakota tribe as they showed defiance towards their settler leaders._

_00000_

Sesshomaru drummed his fingers atop the table, sighing to himself as the morning heat caused sweat to roll down the back of his neck. It was the morning of their first day of school and the gangs had been at work since 5:30 in the morning, hoping to get work done in the peaceful cool before they were forced to retreat within the confining walls of their high school.

A sheet of paper lay before Sesshomaru, bearing his neat cursive hand; his phone was on the table near his right hand, recently used. Rin noticed these things immediately as she sat down in the chair beside her boyfriend, pretending to be preoccupied by her own paperwork.

"Did someone call in with an order?" she finally asked, keeping her brown eyes trained on her work thought her mind was drifting elsewhere. She had a feeling that Sesshomaru's thirty minute phone call hadn't been about an order at the warehouse.

The dog demon wiped away the sweat forming on his brow with the back of his aristocratic hand; he seemed as though he weren't going to answer Rin's question, though he eventually murmured, "No."

Rin observed the boy, who was currently capturing his long white tresses in a high ponytail, and tried to decipher whatever that was in his eyes; was it sadness? Or worry? Being Sesshomaru's girlfriend was a full time job, seeing as though his emotions had to be decoded, his words pondered and his actions deliberated. Nothing about Sesshomaru Taisho was straight forward or easy and now he wasn't eating; Rin was finding herself practically at a loss for the first time in their nearly four year relationship.

"Who was it on the phone then?" Rin pried. She continued to focus her eyes on the paperwork, though Sesshomaru knew at a single glance that she couldn't even see the words before her.

Sesshomaru removed his glasses and folded them neatly atop a nearby stack of files, replying placidly, "No one you should worry about, Koi."

Rin pursed her lips but said nothing, pretending to stack the papers more neatly before giving her boyfriend a tight nod and leaving the table. The thin dog demon repressed a sigh, watching Rin as she hurriedly made her way towards the kitchen area, before rubbing his eyes tiredly; Rin was obviously not in the right mood to talk about Thursday nights and he wasn't even going to bring it up. Especially when his phone call had been from a potential new client.

In the front of the warehouse, the mechanics were working busily away on their many busted vehicles, talking and laughing as many sung along with the loudly blaring radio in the corner.

Kagome was sitting on the work bench enjoying a beer as she watched Shitora and Ranbou tuning up an electric blue Kawasaki motorcycle. The radio, located near Kagome's left hip, was currently between songs.

"...and that was Beautiful Girls by Sean Kingston right here on KGRD, Grind radio straight from America," the DJ announced merrily, going on to talk about some sort of contest as Ranbou rolled his eyes.

"Fuck, I hate that song," he growled, mimicking in a high voice, "'Suicidal, suicidal,' yeah, well I'll kill 'im so that suicide ain't got nothin' to do with it!" The wolf continued to wrench away at a loose bolt, muttering about the song mutinously.

As Shitora snorted and Kagome laughed at Ranbou's sour face, the DJ progressed into the next song, saying, "And by popular demand, here's Rasheeda's 'Bubblegum,' for all the ladies out there who want a little something in return."

As the raunchy beat began to play, many girls in the warehouse let out yells of delight and began rocking in rhythm with the bass line. Shitora unconsciously began to sway her hips to the song as she adjusted the odometer, mouthing the words as she dutifully turned the screw driver. Ranbou's eyes widened as he heard the lyrics "chew up on my bubblegum" and his gaze became inexplicably glued to Shitora as she continued her oblivious dance.

"Like what you see, Ran?" Kagome joked, winking broadly at the wolf as he turned to her with wide eyes.

Ranbou joined Kagome by the work bench, still watching his girlfriend rocking with the beat on the motorcycle. "Hell, she doesn't even know she does shit like that."

"Maybe," Kagome drawled in a sly reply. "But from a girl standpoint, girls are a lot more conscious than you think we are when it comes to being sexual."

Just the sound of the word "sexual" coming out of sweet Kagome's mouth made Ranbou visibly wince. "Yeah, well I prefer to think of Sukini as a totally non-sexual being, thanks."

"And that's possible to do...how?"

Ranbou hesitated a glance back in Shitora's direction, eyes following the back-and-forth motion of his favorite behind just long enough to convince him that Kagome was entirely right; ignoring his girlfriend's inherent sexuality was impossible. Without even offering Kagome another word, Ranbou walked quietly up behind Shitora and leaned down, wrapping his strong arms around her waist as he planted a rather sensual kiss on her exposed neck.

Shitora stopped moving in surprise but soon smiled craftily. "Begging for forgiveness?"

The wolf groaned silently as he recalled their argument the day before; if he recalled correctly, it had been entirely centered around Shitora's chances of making the advanced dance squad. He hadn't meant to seem unsupportive, but the idea of simply showing up in the South Tokyo dance balcony and leaping to the head of the class was absurd; Ranbou had never seen Shitora dance and could only believe that her bragging was merely Taisho arrogance. When it really came down to it, Ranbou hadn't exactly said anything apology-worthy the day before; Shitora simply had thin skin when it came to her personal abilities being questioned.

Sighing, Ranbou released his hold and moved until he was standing in front of the bike, staring Shitora in the eyes as he leaned over the handlebars. "Look, baby girl, I wasn't tryin' to be a bastard or anything. I was just sayin' that the dance program was a little tough and I didn't know how much you knew about it. I didn't want you goin' in there and gettin' your feelings hurt or something. I mean, I've never even seen you dance either way, so I wasn't presuming anythin'; I bet your fuckin' great! I was just warning you cause I was nervous for you."

Though Shitora looked defiant at first, her anger seemed to melt away as Ranbou explained himself; something about that sincere look in his ice blue eyes was enough to make her forgive him on the spot.

Remembering the harsh words she'd sent in Ranbou's direction the day before, Shitora sighed and said quietly, "Yeah, I know. But...dancing was all I did up at school. It's all I was known for, you know? I just...if I didn't dance here and I wasn't the best, I wouldn't know what to do. I didn't want to think that I might not make it, that was all."

Kagome smiled to herself as she watched the couple working out their problems piece by piece. She knew for a fact that Shitora and Ranbou hadn't spoken after their fight the previous day; Shitora had complained quite loudly about the whole ordeal during the girls' kickboxing workout that evening. While many of the girls found their now mandatory kickboxing lessons oppressive, since the boys had practically forced them all to take self defense classes, several of the girls were finding them to be quite stress-relieving. Kagome rolled her sore shoulder as she bitterly remembered Shitora taking out some stress on her arm.

Meanwhile, Ranbou and Shitora were beginning to talk in a more amicable manner. "So, how did it go?" Ranbou asked.

Shitora crossed her arms smugly and replied, "I was the best, no doubt about it." The arrogance and pride in her voice was enough to make a mafia boss seem humble. "There was only one girl anywhere close to beating me out, but I took care of her."

While Ranbou blinked in mild surprise, Kagome interjected warily from her position on the tool bench. "Took care of her? How so?"

"Just showed her what real dancing is all about," Shitora replied dismissively.

While Kagome continued to glance worriedly at Shitora, Ranbou was dealing with the news of his girlfriend's recent triumph in the dance department. Ranbou felt almost guilty for not knowing how good Shitora obviously was; anyone who was "the best" at South Tokyo was arguably the best anywhere in town. He would know if the girl he spent every day with was so excellent at something, wouldn't he? Perhaps Shitora was blowing things out of proportion and was simply bragging. _Yes, _he comforted himself, _that has to be it_. He would've known if she was truly a great dancer.

"_...the type of girl you wanna chew all o' my bubblegum, I'm the type o' girl you wanna take to yo momma h-_"

The music on the radio, which had been background noise until this time, cut off with a rather abrupt noise. The workers in the warehouse all turned in surprise as the familiar voice of the Tokyo evening newscaster blared over the speakers, cutting through the morning air unnervingly.

"We interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcast to bring this important news flash. Government officials have recently confirmed in a public press conference that the recent outbreak of the demonic Silim's disease in France was the work of bio-terrorists."

The silence in the warehouse was deafening as sweat ran cold on the back of every demon neck. Glances were exchanged and gasps escaped through trembling lips as the Southern gangs digested the truth like a bitter pill. The normally warm morning air seemed to have lost its heat as the newscaster continued.

"Turn it up!" Inuyasha called urgently, jogging towards Kagome as he wiped sweat and grease from his furrowed brow.

Kagome obliged and the announcement soon rang through the metal workings of the warehouse ceiling like a deafening clatter. "The French Center for Disease Control and Prevention President, Pierre Sanclaude, claims that Silim's disease, which is spread by a bacterium known as silim typherium, was discovered in cultivated areas on the doorknobs, windowsills, eating utensils and communal writing implements in the _Jeunes Dirigeants _Academy for elementary age students. Sanclaude suggests that the bioterrorists were examining the most successful way in which to infiltrate a common living society by using the school as a controlled test environment. While officials state that there is no immediate danger to those of us here in Japan, world leaders are currently preparing to gather at Washington, D.C in the United States to discuss possible measures of damage control. News coverage will continue as officials further their investigation."

The news bulleting came to an end and Kagome numbly flipped off the radio, finding the idea of listening to the remainder of "My Bubblegum" almost disrespectful. The gang members were quiet and almost confused as they shook their heads and clapped each other encouragingly on the back. Kagome and Inuyasha were, by this time, gripping each other's hands, mouths drawn and grim. Though Sesshomaru's face was unreadable, Rin could see the sadness in his eyes; this news was a devastating dose of reality even to the violent gangs of Tokyo.

"Who the fuck would test Silim's on a bunch of school kids?!" Ranbou roared, causing several to jump at the sudden noise.

In a startling display of anger, Ranbou threw the wrench he was holding to the ground wherein it broke into several pieces; the force of his demon throw had cause the metal to splinter and crack. Shitora remained unmoving even as her boyfriend held his head in despair.

"You know what this means, right?" Hakkaku said, voice shaking with rage and fear. "Somebody out there is trying to do the demons in."

And it was true; Silim bacteria had no effect on humans and the teenagers were fully aware of this fact. Kagome, however, was new to Knockturn's five demon diseases. Practically wincing at the question she was about to utter, Kagome asked Inuyasha quietly, "What's Silim's disease?"

Inuyasha turned to face her solemnly, still holding her hand tight within his grasp as his amber eyes glittered with anguish. "It's one of the five diseases that demons can get. Basically, if you have Silim's, you go blind and your body starts to eat itself alive from the inside out. It attacks your organs until there's nothing left of you; it even continues after death until your nothing but a pile of ash. Silim's never stops."

Kagome's honest brown eyes were wide and her mouth slightly agape as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. In a moment of weakness, she had begun to imagine small, innocent children laying prone in a hospital, crying out for the parents they couldn't see and screaming from the pain in their insides. It really brought Ranbou's question to mind; who would do such a thing?

Sesshomaru stood slowly, clearing his throat and attracting the full attention of his followers with this small sound. "It's nearly 8:00. I suggest that everyone proceeds to school to clean up before classes start."

After a motionless, silent moment, the gang members began shuffling around, replacing their tools numbly in the boxes and gathering their things to meander towards the school. Inuyasha felt as though he were moving through molasses, what with the way his feet were unfeeling and his hands were cold. His mother and father had told their children about the horrors of Knockturn's diseases as though they were a fairytale, but now they were actually a threat to his way of life. Reality was looming far too close to perfect Tokyo.

9191919

Gan ran a hand loosely through her damp hair as she began unlocking her locker in the girl's locker room. Girls ran to and fro, laughing easily as though that morning's disconcerting news announcement had already been forgotten; Gan hadn't forgotten, but the idea of this supposed outbreak left her skeptical. There was little connection between France and Japan and therefore, this all meant relative little to her. Of course she sympathized with the plight of the unlucky children and their families, but it was so far away she could barley bring herself to care. Gan the Gun had other problems at the current time.

"You're hair is very beautiful."

Glancing up at the kind voice from her right, Gan was surprised to see that, for once, the comment seemed to have been directed at her. This was the first time since her coming out that any girl outside her close-knit group of friends had spoken to her and the Shark second-in-command was tempted to glance around in case this was all just a misunderstanding. But the kind girl sitting on the bench beside her smiled encouragingly, her lively blue eyes sparkling with kindness. Gan returned her gaze to this newcomer, a blonde who seemed simply cheerful to be alive as she sat, long legs folded artistically beneath the bench as she removed her street shoes. She was so thin she was almost waif-like.

"Sorry, are you talking to me?" Gan asked disbelievingly, violet eyes wide at the prospect.

"Yeah," the other blonde replied kindly; her voice was warm and accepting. "I've just been looking at it for a few minutes and it's really beautiful." 

Gan blinked confusedly; it had been so long since someone other than Akago paid her a compliment that she'd practically forgotten what to do with them. "Um, thank you," she replied awkwardly, a smile playing at her lips. "I'd have to say that yours is a good deal more well kept than mine, though. I've never been able to get my hair to shine like yours does."

The girl laughed good naturedly at Gan's comment, replying, "Oh, it takes a lot of products to get mine to do anything, I swear. I'm Shale Johannsen."

"Gan Kiretsu." The girls shook hands, one pale and soft, the other muscled and calloused. Though Gan should've felt embarrassed by her rough worker's hands, she was finding it rather impossible to feel bad about herself in Shale's presence.

"Are you new here?" Gan asked conversationally as she begun changing into her school uniform, still wincing at the very sight of the skirts.

Shale nodded. "Yeah, I just moved here from America."

"Oh?" Gan's eyebrows raised . "Where in America?"

"New York."

Gan watched Shale as she pulled on her knee socks, which slid smoothly over her sun kissed shins in an almost effortless way. "That's a long way for you, then.'

But Shale merely gave a small smile. "I needed a change, I guess you could say."

Their conversation was interrupted as a crash echoed through the locker room and many turned their heads to look at the disturbance. A green haired girl had been ruthlessly hip-checked into a group of nearby lockers and was currently leaning awkwardly against them, small frame huddled in on itself as she gathered her wits about her. The airy brunette who had so easily disposed of her slammed her locker door shut resolutely before waltzing out of the room with her bag over her shoulder. A group of thin, well built girls began whispering and jerking their heads as the green haired girl blinked her crimson eyes dully and stumbled down the row of lockers towards Gan and Shale, who had already exchanged a confused glance at the goings on.

The green haired girl sat quietly down on the bench just feet from Shale and Gan, bending to remove her tennis shoes and ankle socks. After a brief silence, during which Shale bit her lips and the green haired girl continued to act as inconspicuous as possible, Gan narrowed her violet eyes and looked fiercely up at the gaggle of whispering girls nearby.

"Clear off, why don't you? Nothing to see here," Gan said in a clipped, commanding tone.

After realizing that they'd practically been issued an order by none other than Gan the Gun, the girls ceased their talking and hurried towards the locker room door, shirt tails flying as they went. Gan shook her head slightly and returned her gaze to the petite, crimson eyed girl, who was now pulling on her knee socks, eyes still glued to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Shale asked, eyes glimmering with concern as she addressed this small girl.

When the girl in question looked up, Shale and Gan nearly gasped; three painful looking claw marks, recently scabbed over, marred the girl's pretty cheek. Self-consciously reaching up to cover the scars with her hand, the girl replied quietly, "Yes, I'm fine."

"Did those girls do that to you?" Gan asked, nodding her head towards the scars.

The girl shook her head. "No, they didn't. They've just been pushing me around a little this morning; I expected it."

"What would make them do such a thing?" Shale asked, blue eyes troubled as her voice began to heighten in pitch; this was all making her rather distraught and Gan could see it clearly on the girl's beautiful, delicate features.

"Dancer politics; nothing to worry about," came the girl's reply.

After a moment's silence, during which the green haired girl began pulling on her school slippers, Gan finally said, "I'm Gan Kiretsu and this is Shale Johannsen. You don't have to worry about dancer politics with us." Gan had already noted the limp condition of Shale's left leg and determined, through a logical process, that she was likewise not enrolled in the dance program.

"I'm Mizumi Tousen," the girl said, managing a small smile before tentatively sticking out her hands to shake with both other girls. "I guess you guys not being in the dance program is a plus for me."

Gan mulled over the name Tousen for a moment before quirking her eyebrow; this was certainly an interesting twist in the current state of things. Though she'd know about Ryuu's sibling for quite a while, she'd never even seen a picture and had imagined her long gone until now. Even as she sat there in a demure silence, Mizumi bore an undeniable resemblance to her brother.

Shale furrowed her blonde brow, as though thinking rather hard about something. "You remind me of someone I've met lately. Green hair...not many people have it, so it must've been that...hm..."

"You probably mean my brother," Mizumi replied, voice trailing off; it looked as though this would be another dead end in her social life. Every person who'd recognized the relation between her and Ryuukoytsusei had either begged her forgiveness and fled or spat at her feet and fled. Either way, she wasn't enjoying the implications of her last name as of late.

But Gan merely smiled wanly. "You two look so much alike it's uncanny. I never imagined by the way Ryuu spoke of you that you two were so close in age. I rather thought you were a small child."

Mizumi furrowed her brow and smiled almost excitedly. "So you actually _know _my brother? Like friends?"

Gan paused, as though weighing options. "I suppose 'business acquaintances' would make him happier, but I guess you could call us friends. Our gangs were allies for most of my years here."

At the word "gang," Shale's smile faded and she shook her head. "That's something about this place that I just don't understand. In America, gangs were nothing like this. They weren't as...what's the word..."

"Legitimate? Organized? Financially centered?" Gan offered.

"Stereo-typically Hollywood?" Mizumi joked.

Shale laughed at this last suggestion, despite the indignant frown on Gan's pale face. "We're not Hollywood," she protested lamely.

But Mizumi simply turned and replied, "This morning, my brother and his friends were wearing black leather with studs and motorcycle boots. They sat in a dark warehouse and fixed cars and then they smoked cigarettes and, wearing aviator sunglasses, rode their expensive motorcycles to school. And some of them even carried their girlfriends in their sidecars."

Gan was silent as Mizumi and Shale regarded her expectantly. Finally, she scoffed, "The Dragons are quite different from the rest of us," while knowing all the while that Mizumi had a point about this all.

"What year are you?" Shale asked Mizumi interestedly, before turning towards Gan as well. "You too, Gan, you never said."

"I'm a sophomore," Mizumi replied.

Gan answered in turn, "And I'm a senior."

"I'm a senior too," Shale said brightly as she slipped on her final shoe.

A second pair of footsteps entered their row of lockers and Mizumi smiled at the newcomer, a redheaded girl with a rather large chest. "Hey, Fennella," she said happily, pleased to see her new friend respond with a garrulous lion smile.

"Morning," the girl replied, grinning fiercely; the smile was almost so ferocious that Mizumi half expected the girl's fangs to show through her protective mask.

"Fennella, this is Shale; she's new here, a senior," Mizumi introduced happily; the thought of bringing together all of her newly acquired friends was rather pleasing.

Fennella leaned over the bench, extending one of her strong freckled hands to shake with the waify blonde girl. "Nice to meet you, I'm Fennella Macharyas, call me Fenn."

"Shale Johannsen," the blonde replied, blue eyes still sparkling with that happiness which never seemed to desert her.

"And this is Gan," Mizumi finished.

Gan turned and seemed to notice Fennella for the first time just as the redhead glanced up and noticed the famous Shark second in command. Both gazed suddenly turned steely and Fennella lowered her eyebrows, barking gruffly, "Yeah, we've met."

With a scowl on her smooth blonde face, Gan gestured rather angrily in Fennella's direction. "Too many times, we've met."

"And every time I left him a scar," Fennella said smugly, green eyes glittering with malevolence. "Oh wait, my mistake. I meant 'her.' And all this time I thought I was fighting a really lame gay boy."

Gan snorted. "Oh that's right, try the gay joke, you won't be the first or the last. Besides, I pushed you into the ocean that winter. How was the water, lion? Did it suit you fine?"

Fennella only continued pulling on her knee socks, not even hesitating Gan a glance. "Not as cold as the knife I once stuck in your arm."

"I broke your wrist."

"I bruised your back."

"I cut off half your hair."

"I bit your neck and drank your blood."

Gan seemed to ponder this for a moment, turning to face the horrified expressions of Mizumi and Shale. "Yes, that's true. But don't worry, I shot her."

Shale let out an audible gasp, covering her mouth daintily with one thing hand. Mizumi looked aghast, though rather unsurprised considering the circumstances, and the two bickering girls only continued to lock gazes, even as they gathered their things and began stalking towards the door. They both began walking very quickly before bursting into brisk runs, trying to beat each other to the door, and the inevitable happened as they bowled over other girls and eventually reached the exit.

They got stuck in the doorway.

Shale and Mizumi exchanged glances before hurrying after their new friends, watching as the firmly lodged girls grunted and tried to push their way out of the narrow opening. Several students in the hallway had stopped to watch, many looking confused while others just rolled their eyes and laughed at the reunited rivals.

Gan and Sesshomaru just happened to be passing by when a familiar voice shouted, "I'll have your scraggly tail for this you arrogant lioness wench!"

"Oh, update your lingo to the twenty-first century, ya stupid-ass tranny bitch!"

Both leaders raised their eyebrows and turned tentatively towards the growing crowd near the girl's locker room, exchanging glances before making their way carefully through the crowd. The students parted reverently for Akago and Sesshomaru who were met with the sight of Fennella and Gan stuck in the doorway, a tall blonde and a short green haired girl trying to pry them loose from behind.

Akago scratched his white head curiously, glancing through his spectacles at his second in command. "Gan, what on earth have you been up to this morning?"

At the sound of her leader's voice, Gan wrenched her gaze up, eyes bugging and furious. "Oh, she started it!"

"As if, you little b-"

Sesshomaru interrupted swiftly, "Fennella, that's enough."

Though Fennella might not have wanted to, she managed to hold her tongue under Sesshomaru's orders, satisfying herself by glaring vehemently at Gan, who was still struggling beside her; in the end, being part of Ayame's core meant that Sesshomaru was the lion demon's supreme leader. When Gan caught Fennella's fierce eyes, she scowled even wider and reached up, tugging on Fennella's mane-like hair fiercely. This elicited a sound from Fennella which could only be described as a roar, one which should only issue from the deepest throat of a murderous lion. Many onlookers in the surrounding crowd grew wide-eyed, though others only shook their heads; it had only been a matter of time before Fennella broke her cover and opened herself up to the violent revenge of the Leopard demons. The Lion-Leopard quarrel had been fairly widespread that summer, though the North-South war had overshadowed it by far.

Gan winced as Fennella roared in her ear. "Quiet down, you little savage," the blonde barked disdainfully.

Akago sighed heavily, dropping his messenger bag to the floor before walking calmly towards the commotion. "Gan, Fennella. Stay still for just a moment. Is it really so hard to get unstuck?"

"My shirt is caught on the door jam-"

"And my blazer is stuck on the hinge-"

"And both of their bags and zippers are caught together in the middle," Mizumi interjected from inside the locker room.

"And the door is rather narrow," Shale finished, cocking her blonde head curiously to the side; everything truly was smaller in Japan.

Akago blew out a stream of air, focusing his crimson eyes on the situation at hand with a critical element to his stare. He reached forward and unhooked Gan's shirt from the door jam as Mizumi carefully extracted Fennella's blazer from the hinge. As the two stepped back to admire their work, Shale leaned in and began nimbly undoing the many knots which had sprung up from the collision and subsequent twisting and struggling.

Finally, Akago glanced over the two girls at Mizumi and said, "Now if you pull Fennella and I pull Gan, they ought to just come free, yes?"

"That should work," Mizumi replied, shrugging as she took hold of Fennella's arm.

Akago took Gan's hand in his and then counted, "One, two, three!"

The girls came loose with the sound of shifting material and both gasped in relief, savoring their freedom only for the slightest second before turning to continue their argument. Akago rolled his eyes, taking Gan forcefully by the shoulders and maneuvering her down the hall. "That's quite enough, Gan. It's been a pleasure ladies, good day."

"Bye," Mizumi mumbled, brushing off a stray thread from her blazer jacket which had obviously come from someone's sweater; what a way to start the morning.

"Ugh, I hate that boy...girl! Dammit!" Fennella exploded, throwing her arms akimbo as her mask spell fell completely away, threatened by her rage. Claws seemed to appear from her finger tips and long, dangerous looking fangs sprouted from her gums. Suddenly, her friendly green eyes were a daring yellow.

Shale, who looked rather troubled by all the shouting, asked bewilderedly, "Did she really shoot you? With a _gun_?"

"I'll say she did!" Fennella roared in response, jerking up her shirt hem and revealing a red and white scar just above her skirt band. "And she was looking to get my heart, she's just a shitty shot!"

Though this was decidedly untrue, Mizumi and Shale just exchanged confused glances as they walked with Fennella down the hall, listening to her rant about Gan the Gun and their numerous encounters in the past. Even though Fennella and Gan didn't get along, Mizumi wasn't completely deterred; she was determined to gather together a group of friends and both of them were going to be in it. It would just take a little persuading, it seemed. Nothing too difficult...if not rather dangerous to everyone's physical wellbeing.

9191919

"I guess everyone has enemies," Kagome murmured as she and Inuyasha broke away from the dissipating crowd. Both had watched with great amusement as Gan and Fennella battled it out in the doorway, but soon the excitement ended and everyone was off to class.

Inuyasha pulled at his school tie, which constricted his neck, and replied offhandedly, "Yeah, Gan and Fenn never got along. Fenn was always in the dispatch team that tried to break up Shark drug deals and she always got into it with Gan when we went on missions."

Kagome giggled and reshouldered her bag as she joked, "Oh, missions? Like James Bond? Or more like Men in Black?"

This caused her boyfriends to roll his amber eyes and the hanyou reached out, squeezing the back of Kagome's neck in a way which caused her to shiver unpleasantly. "Hey, this was serious shit, don't laugh!"

But this didn't seem to stifle Kagome, who continued chuckling. "Did you wear masks? And carry utility belts? Please say yes..."

Inuyasha merely scoffed as he turned to enter his English classroom on their left. Kagome pouted slightly as she made as though to continue down the hallway, but Inuyasha poked his head out to say, "Sometimes we wore masks," before ducking back inside. Kagome grinned widely, since she knew Inuyasha was simply having fun with her; it was nice to see him smiling after that morning's frightening announcement about the Silim's outbreak. The students had been somber for at least half an hour, but the outbreak was too far away to infect the peaceful reality of their school-life. It seemed that, unless it directly affected gang life, the teens of Tokyo cared about nothing but their internal affairs.

Kagome shook her head free of any and all thoughts concerning extra-academic issues and refocused her attention on the schedule in her hands. According to this, she had French first. But where on earth was the language wing? The school was so enormous, she found it rather ridiculous that they expected her to find her way without a map. 

"...I'll fuckin' lay you out, bitch, you better watch where you steppin'!"

At the sound of this harsh voice, Kagome almost rolled her eyes in despair; it sounded like Enju was up to her usual tricks. A glance down the hall proved Kagome correct; Enju looked a good deal less threatening in her school uniform, though she was still standing erect and angry like a hissing cat. Several of Kagura's more thug-like Vixens were lined up before her in their scandalously short skirts, arms crossed and eyes hard as they obviously prepared for a confrontation. Kagome set her jaw and lowered her eyebrows; when was this girl just going to give it up and stop trying to get into fights?

"Five against one, wolf," one of the girls growled, staring down at Enju with hateful eyes.

Kagome walked briskly up, positioning herself fearlessly in front of Enju. "Two against five," she corrected. "And if I so much as say the word, you'll be easily outnumbered."

As though to prove Kagome's statement true, a few Wildcats down the hall were already looking up from their morning activities, as though preparing to join the fight if necessary. The Vixens still scowled, though rather uneasily, until one of them finally said, "Let's go."

Enju lurched forward, as though to pursue them, but Kagome's arm shot out to bar her way.

One of the Vixens called, "You're next, Higurashi," as the scantily clad girls disappeared around the corner, though Kagome hardly looked perturbed. As the Vixens disappeared, the other Wildcats in the hallway eased visibly and began inching their way to class, once more talking amongst themselves where there had previously been a rather uncomfortable smattering of silence. Enju seemed to be shaking with rage, though Kagome couldn't be sure, and it wasn't until she turned to address the girl did she see the absolutely murderous look on the wolf demon's face.

"That was my fight!" Enju growled, sounding more like a hissing cat than a howling wolf. "What right do _you _have to get involved in _my _fights?!"

As though ignoring the girls protests, Kagome crossed her arms and said sternly, "Stay away from the Vixens, Enju. If we need to fight them, Rin will let us know."

"I'm ready to fight them now!" Enju replied rudely, taking a step nearer to Kagome until their noses were practically touching. "And if I really wanted to, you couldn't stop me, human."

This caused Kagome to frown. "Stop with the 'human' stuff, Enju, we're all on an equal plain."

"Please!" Enju scoffed, rolling her angry yellow eyes. "The day you're equal to me is the day I fucking die!"

One of the Wildcats who'd decided to leave the hallway for class turned at the sound of the growing argument, her blood red lips turned down in a frown. Enju caught the girl's eyes over Kagome's shoulder and called, "What about you, Sasha? Do you think demons and humans are equals? Tell this bitch who's boss in this town!"

Sasha bit her lip, crimson eyes narrowing as she walked slowly towards the pair before her. Her silver hair was pulled back in a slender ponytail, though several pieces were falling contentedly over her winter pale face; she looked almost ghostly, but her voice was rich and kind. "Enju, I think you should step down. Kagome is Kijo now."

While Kagome offered the silver haired girl a small smile, Enju only cried out with frustration. "What the hell is wrong with all of you?! Why isn't anyone fighting back?! She's trying to take Kikyo's place and we can't just let her!"

The desperation in Enju's voice made her already vehement yellow eyes seem roving and mad. Sasha stepped forward quietly, looking demure in her school uniform but somehow gently insistent. "Enju, it's over, give it up," she urged, extending a hand as though trying to get Enju to calm herself.

"Listen to her, Enju," Kagome agreed, returning her chocolate brown gaze to her dissenting follower. "You can't keep this up forever."

"Oh yeah?!" Enju demanded, moving rather suddenly so that she practically pressed Kagome against the wall. "Fucking watch me!"

Without so much as another word, Enju reared back her right fist and delivered a devastating blow to what should have been Kagome's face. At the last minute possible, Kagome ducked forward and listened to the sound of splintering and cracking plaster above her, silently thanking the Gods that the cracking and splintering hadn't been from her own skull. Enju obviously had the physical power to back up her words.

Enju cried out in pain and anger as her fist entered the wall of the school hallway, coming in contact with wood, paint, plaster, nails and pipe. Somehow, her bloody and broken hand seemed to have gotten lodged inside a tangled web of utilities and she grunted, trying to tug her fist free just as Fennella and Gan had struggled so valiantly ten minutes prior.

Sasha watched the goings on fretfully as Kagome ducked calmly out from under Enju's outstretched arm, hands placed easily in her blazer pockets. As she reshouldered her messenger bag, she straightened up to address Enju with a quiet fire in her eyes. "You've got a lot of rage, Enju. And I know it's not directed just at me."

With this, Kagome turned to address Sasha, who's crimson eyes were glimmering with troubles. "Sasha, how do I get to the language wing?"

"T-turn right at this corner and go to the end of the hall," Sasha stuttered in reply, pointing with one clawed hand.

Kagome noticed her abnormally sharp nails, quietly recognizing that a demon had just sided with her over another of their kind, and nodded thankfully. "Well, I better get to class, seeing as though none of these teachers know me and being late makes a terrible impression. I'll be seeing you, Sasha."

Kagome turned on her heels and began walking distractedly away, already involved in her schedule once more despite her recent brush with near death by Enju's fist.

"Oh, and Sasha?"

The silver haired demon looked bewilderedly up from the ground, which she'd been studying in overall confusion. "Yes, Kijo?"

"Get Enju's hand out of the wall for me."

With one final smile, Kagome disappeared down the corridor, leaving Sasha staring at Enju, who was still struggling valiantly against the forces restraining her hand.

After grunting and tugging for another moment, Enju glanced angrily over her shoulder at Sasha's confused face. "Don't say a word."

9191919

"I forgot all the French I ever learned this summer," Ranbou growled, tugging at his tie as he and Shitora meandered inside the French classroom.

"It's okay, just act like you have something caught in your throat and that kinda makes French sounding words," Shitora reasoned, shrugging her thin shoulders as a smile played on her lips.

Ranbou grinned and reached back his hand, pinching Shitora's plaid backside and laughing as she gave a jump and a shout. "Ranbou!" she exclaimed, trying to sound outraged though she desperately wanted to smile.

"The French are pretty frisky, it's gettin' me inspired," Ranbou replied defensively, winking at his girlfriend.

"Ranbou, keep your hands away from my sister's ass," came Sesshomaru's bored but commanding drawl.

Ranbou and Shitora glanced up at Sesshomaru, who was sitting near the back of the room with Gan and Akago, obviously discussing something rather pressing. Ayame was reading through their French book at a desk nearby while Miroku twiddled his thumbs, absent-mindedly watching as a girl in the front row bent over to grab her pencil and her underwear showed.

"Yeah, well, I didn't know you was sittin' there, sorry Shomo," Ranbou covered, deciding that mustering up a humble blush was not necessary; Sesshomaru looked more tired than angry.

"Did you study French at school, Shitora?" Akago asked disarmingly, smiling despite the sour look on his second in command's face; Gan was still smarting from her run in with Fennella.

Shitora nodded as she took a seat beside her brother, Ranbou on her other side. "Yeah, I mean, it was an all girl's boarding school after all. Where else would French be required for three hours a day?"

Just as Shitora said this, Kagome came meandering through the door still staring at her schedule; glancing up, she looked bewilderedly around to see if she'd actually found the right classroom and was pleasantly surprised by the sight of her friends. "Oh, hey guys; is this AP French Lit?"

Shitora grinned and nodded, patting the empty desk behind her. "Sure is; take a seat, Kags."

The friends sat atop their desks, facing one another as they waited out the remaining five minutes until the start of class.

"Does anyone know how to cuss in French?" Ranbou asked curiously, glancing around the circle.

Akago smirked. "I do."

This caused the others to grin and Shitora urged, "Come on, Akago, say something really dirty."

The white haired demon thought for a moment before saying silkily, "_Ta mere suce des bites en enfer_."

As he said this, Gan's face grew rather red and she murmured, "Akago, that's disgusting!"

"Whad he say, whad he say?!" Shitora asked excitedly, amber eyes wide with delight.

But Akago grinned and replied, "Your mother sucks cock in hell."

The group burst out into laughter while Gan merely shook her head in disdain. Akago winked in his second's direction, saying, "Oh, come now Gan. You know a few dirty phrases."

"Out with it," Kagome declared, smiling craftily at her friend. 

"Yeah Gan," Miroku urged, chuckling. "Throw out the goods."

Faced with the hopeful faces of her friends, Gan finally rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, saying dully, "_Va te faire enculer." _When the others looked expectantly at her, Gan translated gruffly, "It means 'go ass-fuck yourself.'"

Again, the friends were roaring with laughter. Kagome entered in, "Our teacher taught us stupid insults. Like _'Vous êtes aussi utile qu'un frein à main sur un canoe,' _which is something like 'your as useful as a handbrake on a canoe.'"

While the others continued laughing, Shitora mused, "We could probably come up with some. Like, '_Ta mère doit t'avoir battu sur la gueule avec le bâton de laideur.'"_

Ayame snorted with hilarity. "Your mother must have beaten you with the ugly stick?"

This caused the others to laugh even harder.

"How about this one: '_Prendre vos places tout de suite ou je vous enverrai tout au bureau.'"_

The teenagers froze and turned towards the new voice, which belonged to a blue haired man with several piercings and a scar which stretched across the bridge of his nose onto both cheeks. He was wearing a dress shirt and slacks, complete with his teacher's identification badge, and the students sobered immediately. Kagome recognized this man as Kayo-sensei, the same teacher who had demanded that Gan accept skirts at the supply line the day before.

"Can any of you translate that for me?" Kayo asked almost patronizingly.

His black eyes fell on Kagome, who realized that this was a sort of silent demand to answer his question. Swallowing, she replied quietly, "It means 'take your seats or I'll send you all to the office.'"

"Bingo," Kayo replied sarcastically, nodding to the group. "Then I suggest you do that. Quickly."

The friends quickly climbed from the desktops into their seats and folded their hands neatly, still exchanging laughing glances as the bell rang and the final students hurried inside. Kayo walked with great authority towards the front of the room, wherein he wrote his name in Kanji on the chalk board, placing the chalk on the railing before turning to address the quiet room of students before him.

"Welcome to AP French Literature, ladies and gentlemen. This is going to be the most ridiculous class you'll ever take and I'll tell you why: I am completely ridiculous. I'll make you work so hard you think I'm trying to make you quit and that's because I am. I'd love for you to quit because that's fewer papers for my to grade and therefore more time for me to do things I actually like. So if you're already scared out of your mind, please leave." He paused and no one moved. "It's your funerals. If you ever got anything less than an A- in French, you shouldn't be here and this is a big mistake. I didn't choose any of the portfolios I received where this was the case, so if you haven't been the top of your French class for the past three years, my mistake; I didn't mean to put you here. Feel free to raise your hand or run out the door at this time." Still, no one moved. "Well, that's too bad for me because there's still 16 of you. Every night, you will have 30 pages of written work and an hour of recorded voice exercises to do. Overall, this should take you about two hours. These are verbatim assignments, due every day without fail; I will add nightly homework on top of that to throw in a little variety. So, you might end up with three hours of French homework a night."

As he said this, Kayo wrote down the assignments on the board and turned to find the entire classroom of students staring at him with open mouths and expressions of true terror. The man smiled cruelly. "Oh yes, that's right. Three hours. And every night I'll enjoy the idea that you're slaving away in hopes that you'll make better than an F in this class. As far as grading goes, you all currently have F's. Not blank slates, but F's. I'll add points to your F averages as you earn them. Everyone in this room is sitting on top of a big fat 50 average. How does that make you feel?"

The students stared back at him with horror apparent on their faces.

"Excellent. Now the point of this class is to study Literature. You'll continue your study of the French language along with whatever reading we're doing at the current time. We'll read two novels this year." At the sound of such a small number, the students eased visibly in their seats. But Kayo smirked. "Oh I'm sorry, let me be specific: two novels, three novellas, twenty one short stories and six essays. So yes, only two novels." The students' faces returned to their previous states of despair. "Each novel will occupy one half of the year and you'll read the other stories over them. Our first novel is _Les faux-monnayeurs, _which is so complicated that you couldn't even easily understand it in Japanese, let alone French." Kayo reached behind him and retrieved a stack of books, passing them systematically down the rows to every student. "The first short story is _La Parure, _which is very sad and will leave you feeling lost, alone and unhappy." As Kayo passed smaller pamphlets containing the short story down the rows, he asked cheerfully, "Any questions?"

The students exchanged glances but remained tight lipped, feeling as though their souls weighed about fifty pounds a-piece; so much for the rumor about senior year being the "best year of school."

The rest of Kayo's French class continued in this manner until the bell rang forty five minutes later, leaving the dazed students to shove their new books in their bags and make their way numbly out the door.

"Have a good day now," Kayo called after them, waving happily.

Akago scowled at the ex-Shark leader as he made his way out the door and muttered, "You're enjoying this far too much."

"That I am, Tsume, that I am," Kayo agreed, giving the boy a fatherly slap on the back which sent him reeling.

"Okay," Shitora said almost leadenly as she, Kagome, Miroku and Ranbou made their way down the hallway. "So, basically, when we get out of practice at 6, we'll get home, eat dinner and shower. So then that's 7. And then we'll do our French homework. That's 10. And then when we finally finish that, we get to do our other homework. Then we get up at 5:00 to go to work."

The others groaned and Shitora winced. "Yeah, just checking to make sure we were all on the same page."

Kagome covered her eyes with one pale hand, shaking her head solemnly; with her course schedule in its current state, she could only hope that she wasn't being taught by an entire school-full of teachers like Kayo. If she was, then perhaps it wasn't too late to drop out and apply for work at a Stop-n-Go.

As she made her way towards her English classroom, Kagome murmured bitterly to herself, "And they wonder why Japan has the world's highest high school suicide rate..."

9191919

The air was warm and inviting in Tokyo as workers and students alike broke for their lunch hour, gravitating towards the outdoors as the demons began to sense the falling presence of summer. South Tokyo High was no different and friends began gathering on the wide lawn to eat their packed lunches, laughing and kicking off their shoes as they reclined on the living green blanket of grass.

Kagome munched dully at her tuna sandwich as the sound of Gan's perfect French met her ears and fell away. For the past fifteen minutes, they'd been passing around _Les faux-monnayeurs, _reading it aloud and translating the goings on in each paragraph before throwing the novel to the next person. Those who weren't in French were listening quietly, glad to allow their minds to drift after a morning of strenuous mental exercise.

"..._Et le baron a pris la main de la dame, plantant un petit baiser au dessus de lui avant de la mener de côté," _Gan finished, rolling her eyes at the pretentious manner of the book before passing it down to Ranbou, who was laying with his head in Shitora's lap as she dropped peanuts in his mouth. The book was about twenty separate relationships, as far as Gan could tell, and every person was interwoven with the other nineteen. It was terribly confusing and the group had since given up trying to understand it, settling for simply translating it and moving on.

"Who's turn is it to translate?" Ranbou asked boredly, glancing around the circle as he let the book fall on his chest.

Akago twirled a piece of grass absent-mindedly between his fingers as he murmured, "The baron asks the lady to dance, she accepts, they talk about the weather, and now he kisses her hand and asks her to step aside with him."

"Actually, he led her aside," Ayame corrected, rolling her emerald green eyes. "This whole book is a misogynistic message." Kouga laughed slightly as he ran his fingers through her glossy red curls, admiring the sunlight as it danced across her face. He spoke no French but found the sound of it soothing, almost like a lullaby.

As for those who spoke French, their boredom was reaching its peak. Ranbou sighed heavily, holding the book above his face as he focused his ice blue eyes on the small text. "_Le coup manqué, je suis prédisposé pour demander si vous me participeriez le paysage..."_

The wolf demon trailed off and glanced around the circle, noting how Gan was picking at the grass, Akago staring at the sky, Ayame and Miroku both staring unfocused into the distance and Kagome seeming as though she might drift off into sleep. Sesshomaru already had, by the looks of it; his amber eyes were closed as he lay flat on his back beneath the overhanging oak tree, Rin likewise asleep with her head on his stomach. Apparently, the ridiculous book had worked its magic and every person in the vicinity was growing bored despite their actual knowledge of the language.

"..._Parce que j'aimerais avoir tendrement ma façon avec vous," _Ranbou continued suddenly, a mischievious smile playing on his lips.

Shitora blinked, wondering if her demon ears had just picked up such a thing. She glanced down at Ranbou, who winked roguishly at her; it seemed as though he was going to alter the book to make it slightly more enjoyable. First the baron had been asking the lady to accompany him to the countryside and now, all of the sudden, it was because he wanted to "have his way with her," as Ranbou had put it. Shitora giggled slightly, glancing around as though waiting for the others to catch on.

"_Vous voyez, ma chere dame, je suis dans la crainte de vos seins stupéfiants. Ils sont juste la bonne taille, qui est très important, parce que j'ai besoin de quelque chose pour tenir quand nous avons le sexe bruyant et odieux. __Un petit coussin pour le pousser."_

At the phrase "sexe bruyant et odieux," meaning "loud and obnoxious sex," several pairs of eyes snapped towards Ranbou, whereupon gaping mouths followed. Ranbou continued garrulously. "_La madame, les « jambes » sont le mot du jour. __Allons de retour à mon endroit et est étalé le mot."_

Miroku burst out laughing at this statement as Ranbou passed him the book, trying not to smile as he said casually, "Alright, who's turn is it to translate?"

"What the hell is so funny?" Inuyasha asked confusedly, glancing at Kagome.

"Yeah," Kouga chimed in. "I thought you said it was boring."

"Well then, allow me to translate," Miroku said happily, glad for a distraction from the monotony of Kayo's assigned ready. The boy cleared his throat before relating comically, "My dear lady, I am predisposed as to inquire whether you would accompany me to the countryside..." here Miroku trailed off, glancing around the circle for dramatic effect as he prepared to launch into Ranbou's raunchy storyline; by this time, the non-French-speakers had turned to observe the laughing circle and were listening intently. "Because I would dearly like to have my way with you." Some gasped and others laughed as he continued. "You see, my dear lady, I am in awe of your amazing breasts. They are just the right size, which is very important, because I need something to hold onto when we are having loud and obnoxious sex. A little cushion for the pushing. Madame, 'legs' is the word of the day. Let's go back to my place and spread the word."

The friends laughed loudly and fell upon one another as they clapped in appreciation, egging Ranbou on as he stood and began taking long, sweeping bows. "_Merci, merci," _he jeered, grinning rakishly at the onlookers.

Due to their laughter, many failed to notice as a pair of calculative yet somehow misgauged footsteps made their way across the grass towards the Southern cores. Inuyasha just happened to glance up and notice the newcomer, grin falling quickly as he tapped Kagome's shoulder; Kagura had come to talk, it seemed.

The hilarity came to an abrupt halt as the others noticed the Vixen leader standing just inches from their circle and Ayame frowned, adopting a hard business face. "Later, Kagura, Rin is busy."

Kagura's blood red eyes strayed to Rin, who was still sleeping soundly with Sesshomaru's thin stomach as a cushion, but the smile on her crimson lips proved that Rin was not her target this time. Placing a long-nailed hand on her popped hip, Kagura said silkily, "I'm not here for little miss Wildcat princess, Saitou. I'm here for Higurashi."

Kagome concealed her surprise and instead stood slowly, meeting Kagura's eyes with her own strong brown ones. "What do you want?" she asked shortly.

The two girls continued to stare unmoving at one another, causing a tense air to descend on the grassy grounds. The others exchanged glances, as though wondering if things were about to come to blows, but Kagura finally broke the silence with her ever wanton voice. "I want to extend a challenge, Higurashi. My girls said that you tried to corner them in the hallway today."

Kagome snorted and rolled her eyes. "I wish you could've been there to see five of your 'poor cornered girls' running away from just me and one of mine. Obviously they knew that two against five were pretty shitty odds for them; wouldn't want to hike up their skirts any higher, just in case a policeman might slap them with indecent exposure in a public venue."

There were muffled chuckles from around the circle as everyone turned to conceal their mirth in their sleeves; this was a serious stare-down affair between two leaders and they needed to hold their tongues.

The flash in Kagura's crimson eyes caused a shiver to run down Kagome's spine, though she showed no fear; obviously, her comment had struck a sore spot in Kagura. The Vixen said quietly, "Meet me at warehouse 49 by the docks at 7:00 tonight for a little one on one. Then we'll see who gets the last laugh." Without so much as another word, Kagura turned on her heels and stalked back towards the Northerners, who were eating sullenly near the Northern wall, as though trying to be closer to familiar territory.

Kagome watched her go, shaking her head slightly before retaking her seat beside Inuyasha. All was quiet as the girl returned to her sandwich before Inuyasha said, "You know it's a trap, right?"

The girl scoffed, mouth full of food. "Duh, she'll probably have twenty or thirty girls standing there with knives and chains or something. I'm not going, she can have herself a little party."

Inuyasha nodded vaguely, watching Kagura growing smaller as she walked off into the distance towards her friends; his hanyou instincts were pestering him, almost like a persistent itch, and he almost reached up to scratch his neck in response. His _seppanyoukai, _the inner half demon, was beginning to grow more potent as the days went by. It had been bothering him rather badly for the past few days, making him wary and cautious like one of his clan elders, always worrying about every little thing.

As a simple reflex, he thought rather angrily, _Jesus, cut it out you stupid spirit; I don't need shit from you too. I got troubles from every direction; Kagome's having trouble breaking in, Shitora is getting edgy and Sesshomaru looks like fucking Jack Skellington. So cut it out, alright? _The hanyou almost snorted; as though his _seppanyoukai _would actually answer back.

**Those are everybody's else's problems, nitwit; focus on your own.**

At the sudden voice, Inuyasha gave a small yelp and sort of scrambled back away from his sandwich, thinking for a moment that the beef had spoken to him. Kagome jumped at her boyfriend's sudden movement and watched him scuttle away from his lunch, face the very picture of terror. The girl raised her eyebrow and exchanged glances with Sango, who was watching the scene with mild interest.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked tentatively, raising her eyebrows. "Is...everything okay?"

Inuyasha blinked his amber eyes, beginning to slowly crawl on his hands and knees towards the sandwich he'd just dropped, reaching out one clawed hand to pick it up gingerly. He held it up to his face, squinting as though looking for the answers to the universe in the layers of meat, mayonnaise and lettuce.

"Hello?" he asked after a moment.

Kagome frowned and glanced over her shoulder at the others, who had by this time become aware of the fact that Inuyasha was attempting conversation with a sandwich. Sesshomaru lifted his head, woken from his nap and took in the sight of his brother addressing his lunch.

"At last he's found someone worthy of his company," the great leader murmured, allowing his head to drop back to the grassy floor as he resumed his rest.

"Yash?" Miroku asked, violet eyes confused. "Dude, are you talking to your sandwich?"

The hanyou glanced up so quickly that some of his friends gasped in surprise. He pointed to the beef in particular, whispering conspiratorially, "It just talked to me!"

"And I thought _I _got hit hard in practice yesterday," Kouga mumbled, shaking his head.

**I'm not in the sandwich, dumbshit.**

"AH!" Inuyasha cried out, instinctively throwing the sandwich in Shitora's direction.

As her brother clapped his hands to his head in horror, Shitora cocked an eyebrow and picked up the beef hero, looking at it every which way before saying almost despairingly, "Yeah, he's lost it."

"Please, someone tell me you heard that voice," Inuyasha practically begged, glancing around the circle with wide amber eyes.

When his friends all slowly shook their heads, regarding him with rather deep concern, the hanyou whined, "Aw, shit, I'm goin' crazy! I'm hearin' voices!"

**I'm you, ya stupid ass. You know, little guy in yer head? **

"WELL GET OUT!" Inuyasha roared, standing up violently and pointing up at the sky as though the voice had come from the clouds.

The group was consumed with silence before Akago asked confusedly, "Inuyasha, who exactly was that directed at?"

"The guy in my head!" Inuyasha replied without thinking, gesturing angrily at his temple.

The friends exchanged numerous glances, looking completely weirded out by this whole affair, before a look of dim comprehension dawned on Ayame's face. "Inuyasha, do you mean...your youkai?"

The silver haired hanyou stared at her a moment before rushing towards her, startling both Kouga and Ayame into falling backwards onto the grass. "It said it was me; is that what it means?"

Ayame stared silently up at Inuyasha, who was smiling rather crazily about two inches form her nose; when she finally found her voice, she squeaked, "Um...yes?"

The hanyou gave a short barking laugh, pounding his palm triumphantly with his fist. "I'm not going crazy!"

"That's pretty debatable," Ranbou muttered, causing Shitora to muffle a laugh into her hand.

"Hey, this is kinda cool!" Inuyasha said, crossing his arms rather smugly with a smirk playing at his lips. "Now my instincts can actually _talk _to me!"

"You mean they haven't been?" Shitora asked, brow furrowed. "My youkai's been talking to me since I was nine."

There was a brief silence before Inuyasha grew rather red in the face and hissed, "What?"

**That's right numbskull, yer a late bloomer. You was too busy bein' an idiot when I talked to ya, so I decided to play it cool for, oh, I dunno, seven or eight years?**

"Okay, why the _hell _do you have a Brooklyn accent?" Inuyasha demanded aloud, eyes angled upwards as he talked to his own mind.

"That's like asking why mine doesn't even speak Japanese," Shitora replied dryly, absently picking the tomatoes off of Inuyasha's once thought demon sandwich and taking a bite. "It only speaks Madra, and not even Japanese Madra. It's some weird dialect and I can't understand it half the time."

"What's 'Madra'?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Dog tongue," Ranbou replied as he picked at the grass. "I think 'Madra' is like the old Greek for dog or somethin'."

Akago and Gan both laughed at this and as Akago continued laughing, Gan corrected, "If by Greek you mean Gaelic..."

Miroku chuckled. "I like how out of all the sex jokes we make all day long, they think a historical reference joke is funnier."

Inuyasha, in the meantime, was making strange facial expressions as he retook his seat, now rather deep in conversation with his seppanyoukai.

_Wait...so you're my seppanyoukai? Why are you talking to me just now?_

**Cause I was gonna wait till you wised up, but somethin' big is about ta happen and I had ta tell ya. Weird shit's about ta happen, my friend. Really grade-A weird shit.**

Approximately thirty feet from Inuyasha and his friends, Enju was peering out gingerly from behind a large tree trunk, watching every movement of Kagome Higurashi with her calculative yellow eyes. She'd seen and heard everything starting with Ranbou's dirty interpretation of _Les faux-monnayeurs _and only minutes later, had witnessed Kagura issuing her challenge to the Wildcats' newest Kijo. The wolf demon scowled thoughtfully, shaking her head at the encounter; why in the world wasn't Kagome going to take the challenge?

"Enju, what are you looking at?"

At the sound of Seila's wine rich voice, Enju whipped around and faced the rest of Kagome's core members, who were eating lunch in a circle nearby. She'd abandoned her lunch several minutes before and had yet to eat a single bite due to her clandestine activities behind the tree.

"Do you know what just happened?" Enju demanded, ignoring Seila's question and crawling hurriedly towards the others.

Knight glanced up from her ramen, bright blue eyes hazy and disinterested. A summer breeze ruffled her oddly purple hair as she discarded a fake looking carrot from her noodles and replied boredly, "Not a clue, Enju. Let me think; Kagome-dono sneezed and you're about to punish her for her weakness."

Katia, who was sitting beside her oldest friend and rival, gave a snort of laughter as she sipped lazily from a coke can; despite her demeanor, the leopard demon was always watching, always observing, constantly calculating as her blue and yellow eyes swept the circle before her; something about the air amongst the group was tense and unnerved, as though everyone were waiting to enter a battle.

Knight, besides her snide remark in Enju's direction, had said nothing during the meal so far and seemed to be staring bullets at Lea Skinner, the golden-haired youkai who had stood up for Morioka and mouthed off to Kagome in the locker room the day before. Katia suspected that, judging by Lea's occasional returned glance, their hatred for one another was coming to a head. The two dog demons had never gotten along based on principal arguments in the era of Kikyo's leadership and Katia had a general feeling that their warring feelings concerning Kagome weren't helping their already sour relationship.

The dog demon Kaira was periodically glancing up at Enju, as though waiting to drag her backwards if the impetuous wolf demon made a break for their new leader. Her oil black and blood red hair was braided back so that, at every second and from every angle, Enju was visible; she hadn't stopped watching her since the previous morning.

Seila's muscular shoulders and enormous cannon arms had been twitching uncomfortably since English, Katia noted; the wolf demon's ocean eyes hadn't missed a single one of Kagome's movements and she seemed to content to continue watching her leader, ensuring her safety from ill-wishers' wrath. Her black head hadn't moved from Kagome's position since lunch began and Katia realized that, no matter how threatening Enju may have seemed, Seila was uninterested in the upstart and more interested in the Vixens fifty feet to the South.

Sasha kept biting her lip. It was Katia's experience that, when Sasha bit her lip, she was nervously mulling over a recent experience or encounter. The astute leopard demon was unaware that only that morning, Kagome had enlisted Sasha's help in pulling an enraged Enju's fist from the wall; though the cast on Enju's hand had not gone unnoticed, most of the Wildcats had merely dismissed it as a product of the wolf demon's frequent fights. Frankly, Sasha had dealt more with Enju that morning than she'd ever intended to.

Morioka was frowning prettily as she read her English homework sternly, ignoring Lea as she would occasionally look over to ensure that no harm had come to her doll-faced friend. If Katia's observations were serving her well, she was almost positive that Morioka's normally passive green eyes were glittering with annoyance, particularly when Lea paid her attention. It was a well known fact that Lea hated Kagome and Morioka was quite loyal to her; their friendship might well have been splintering.

It wasn't these girls that made Katia nervous. She knew where they stood on her new leader and it affected her little; knowledge was power, after all. No, it was those girls who had yet to speak their views which irked her; arguably, the most silent Wildcats were the most dangerous and many of them were angling their eyes downward, lest someone try to read their faces to uncover their ideas, their passions, their loyalties. Perhaps a more aggressive approach was in order.

"Nyx Hattori, what say you about our new leader?"

Many glanced up at this question, though the one in question merely wiped her mouth politely and continued jotting down strange words in her notebook; she seemed to be translating a Latin verse for her Ancient Studies class. The girl was altogether a thoughtful looking person, her silver eyes like two great quarters in her intelligent head; though her naturally black hair had been stained with platinum streaks of the palest blonde, the rest of her looked practically untouched by the surrounding world.

When Sasha gave the Nyx's shoulder a shake, her head snapped up and her eyes focused on Katia, her pupils mere thin slivers of black in all of that mesmerizing silver; she was obviously a cat demon and was, in this case, descended from the Jaguar clan.

"Did you say something, Katia, and if so, is it urgent? I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment."

Her voice was soft but commanding, a terrifying sound to Sasha who fretted visibly beside her. Morioka's wide and innocent eyes watched Nyx thoughtfully, though behind them lay the merest traces of fear; many were afraid of Nyx Hattori's far superior intelligence.

Katia, however, was quite unfettered. "I asked what you thought of Kagome-dono. I haven't heard your opinion yet."

Many of the girls turned their gazes to Nyx, as though waiting to hear what the most intelligent Wildcat had to say; obviously, her opinion was important to many of her friends and would most likely sway the vacillating vote. Finally, she smirked mysteriously and murmured, "Fides nemo, perdo nusquam. Fides secus, perdo panton."

"Don't throw your Latin at us, Jaguar," Knight said testily, giving Nyx a withering blue gaze for her troubles.

"It means 'trust no one, lose nothing, trust wrongly, lose everything.' If that doesn't answer your question, then you'll simply have to wait and see what I think," Nyx continued, smirking smugly before returning her eyes to her Latin.

"And what about you, Mae'Ora?" Katia asked suddenly. "You might be able to read minds, but none of the rest of us can; what are you thinking?"

The girl who replied was laying on her back staring up at the clouds, blood red lips a stark contrast against the silver hair which flowed around her curvaceous frame like platinum water. Her startling body was nothing compared to her startling eyes, the same blue as Knight's but somehow more frightening. When she chuckled, a shiver ran through Sasha's shoulders.

"Kagome isn't your problem, Katia."

The leopard marks on Katia's face distorted as her eyes narrowed. "What does that mean, sorceress?"

The way in which she uttered this word was so very disdainful that Mae'Ora found herself unable to contain the purring grin which landed itself on her full mouth. "It means that your problem is sitting a lot closer than that. Look around like I know you always do. You know what I mean."

When several gazes strayed towards Enju out of mere habit, the wolf demon grew enraged and leapt to her feet, clenching her good hand threateningly in Mae'Ora's direction. "You wanna go, Santayouko?!"

"Do you want me to summon the demons of Poseidon to drown you alive, Enju?"

At this simple threat, Enju's face fell and she unconsciously backed away; she knew that Mae'Ora had the power to do what she suggested and the wolf shivered. Her fear of water was something she liked to keep under wraps, yet being constantly around a sorceress-mind reader made keeping private thoughts rather difficult.

"Dissenters will be the death of us all," Mae'Ora finished ominously. "Just ask Mixmatch what she thinks and I'm sure you'll understand my meaning."

Katia looked to Mae'Ora's immediate right where a girl was leaning back on her hands, legs open wide like a man might recline. The short beneath her school skirt were visible, though she seemed not to care as she regarded Katia levelly with the eyes which warranted her name; one a cold blue and the other an angry red. When she turned just right beneath the sunlight, Katia could swear she saw red stains in the girl's normally black hair; after all, she'd spilled a good deal of blood in her past encounters. Not as much as another in the circle, but quite enough to warrant caution in her midst. In truth, Katia disliked Mixmatch, otherwise known as Kasai Jaganshi, with a searing passion.

Kasai grinned ferally, leaving her razor sharp fangs in full view as she regarded the leopard demon with her strange un-matching eyes. "She's a little too uppity, know what I mean? Might need a hit or two to cut her down to size."

"Down girl," Lea murmured patronizingly, though she smiled grimly; obviously, someone shared her thoughts on the most pleasant way to deal with Kagome's forwardness.

"Don't touch Kagome-dono," Seila said automatically, turning to look at Kasai with a threatening glare. "You'll answer to me."

"You might be built like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but you'd be surprised what kind of bodies a little fire will burn, Seila...even ones like yours," Kasai replied, laughing quietly but crazily.

When Seila made as though to stand and challenge the violent girl, a dark voice interrupted the confrontation, causing the entire circle to freeze. "Fire only burns what can't escape, Mixmatch. And wolves had been dodging out for centuries, so I wouldn't threaten someone fast enough to flee."

Katia's mouth drew a tight line as she glance cautiously over at the cold speaker, who was sitting nonchalantly against the nearest tree trunk. Though the hair which covered her shoulders was red, the bangs before her carnal eyes were the stark white of a new winter's snow; something about this girl frightened her comrades and they grew silent, watching her intently as though debating over whether or not to leave the area or refrain from sudden movement.

Katia cleared her throat and mumbled, "Nana," as though greeting her for the first time that day.

The aforementioned Nana looked up rather quickly, causing the other girls to draw in hissed breaths as they leaned away from her eyes, the same oil black and angry red of Kaira's hair. Yet something about those eyes was far more frightening than anger could ever be; something about those eyes made Katia want to simply run.

Seila however, grew rather red faced and said boldly, "The wolf clan had always been loyal and they always will be. It's your kind who should be called into question."

"My kind?" Nana asked, so quietly that the humans struggled to hear her. "Exactly what is my kind, wolf? Do you mean assassins? Or mercenaries? Or...could you mean the shadows?"

Where as before the tree's shadow had only covered Enju and Nana from the blazing sun, the other Wildcats suddenly found themselves covered by the tree's overhanging branches; strangely enough, the branches were several feet away. Sasha gasped and Lea stiffened while Knight began scrubbing at her arms. "Get this fake shadow shit away from me, you dirty _uchitoru-hebi. _I don't want any of your evil magic near me."

At this comment, Nana's previously smug face grew sour, as though she'd been stung, and the shadow drew back as quickly as it had extended. While the girls breathed a sigh of relief, Nana muttered bitterly, "That's what I'll always be to you, what my kind will always be, isn't it Knight? 'Killing Serpents' or makers of evil magic. You'd do well to remember that the shadows have protected you more than once."

"I never asked for a murderer's protection," Knight barked in reply. "You may not have cared about Kikyo, but I can see by the way you look at Kagome that you're siding with her." As she said this, Knight pointed an accusatory claw at Enju, who had remained rather quiet since her outburst at Mae'Ora. "Anyone who sides with Enju is against the Wildcats and against our Toumoku."

"Rin is none of my concern," Nana replied coolly.

"Say her name with respect," Seila demanded immediately. "It's Rin-dono or Toumoku to you and you agreed to be subservient to her when you joined."

Nana's eyes snapped towards the wolf demon. "The shadows are subservient to no one, wolf."

"No one but the sun," Katia said smoothly. Her eyes were rather teasing as she challenged daringly, "If your shadows are so powerful, then go on; send them to Kagome right now. See what happens to you."

At first it looked as though the assassin would do nothing, but eventually her oil-blood eyes grew steely and dangerous. "You challenge the wrong person, Maretti. And now you're leader will suffer."

Before Katia even had time to regret her words, a strange shadow seemed to grow from the other side of the tree, extending towards the leaders of the South with a frightening rapidity. The shadow was not black, as shadows often are, but held the strange misty quality of a storm, turbulent and electric. Seila leapt to her feet and made as though to lunge for Nana, but Mixmatch took the opportunity to attack her greatest enemy. Red and blue eyes clashing hideously, she leapt with her claws outstretched, whereupon small flames seemed to dance on her fingertips like candle lights. Seila just barely escaped the fire, twisting to the side at the last moment as he muscular frame crashed to the ground.

The flurry of movement caused the other Wildcats to stand to their feet and claws extended while glances were venomously exchanged. Kagome's core had grown tired of their differing opinions and were fully prepared to settled it with violence.

Meanwhile, Kagome and the others were talking mildly amongst themselves, sharing stories of their first morning in school as the summer breeze played teasingly with their hair. All was well and calm until Akago's eyes snapped up and grew a frightening gold.

The others grew alert as his hand shot forward and an ancient spell began spilling from his lips. "_Kodaijin no jaaku na kurayami ha taiyou no raito no shita de, bunkai suru_!"

Kagome managed to catch a glimpse of a rather strange misty mass of black and silver over her shoulder before it broke apart into slivers and shattered, as though it had been solid glass. It disappeared into thin air, just as smoke might drift into the sky, and her brown eyes grew troubled. "Akago, what was that?"

"That was a spell which that stupid sorceress should learn to keep hidden beneath her loose tongue!" Akago practically roared with an anger quite unlike his gentle character. He leapt to his feet, causing his white braid to swing like a whip as he began storming towards the nearest oak tree with a fire in his step.

The others exchanged glances as Gan murmured a curse and hurried to follow her leader, golden hair and skirt fluttering behind her. Eventually, the group rose in tandem and began hurrying after their friends, eager to see what had caused the strange shadow to appear at their side.

As they rounded the tree, Kagome's eyes expanded in horror and disappointment; her core members were turned upon one another, looking prepared to do fierce battle. Without another thought, she hurried forward, shouting, "Stop this right now, all of you!

When no one moved, Kagome frowned wickedly and yelled, "Have you lost your minds?! Put down your claws!"

Though several of the girls desperately wanted to follow these orders, they knew that many of the others would not; they couldn't let down their guards lest Kagome be threatened by her enemies, most of whom were standing right in that very circle. Mixmatch licked her claws so carnally that Knight tensed and prepared to attack.

Kagome growled angrily, "I will shoot so many bullet holes in the next person to move that I'll be using your body as a vegetable strainer!"

At the word "bullet," the girls seemed to recall to mind Kagome's frightening display against Enju only the day before. She certainly hadn't hesitated to draw her gun and, based on this fact alone, the group simultaneously relaxed, albeit reluctantly.

Kagome watched as fists lowered and eyes averted; with slow and calculated movements, she broke through the circle between Knight and Katia, glaring around at her followers coldly. "Do you think this is going to solve our problems?" When Enju snorted, Kagome rounded upon her so fiercely that the wolf demon stumbled backwards. "Don't think I can't see that cast on your hand, Enju; I'm not stupid or powerless like you make me out to be, am I?"

Enju's face darkened so visibly that Knight let out a barking laugh. "Kagome ripped on you, didn't she?"

At this suggestion, Inuyasha's eyebrows raised instinctively; Shitora and Ranbou exchanged glances while Rin stood idly by, arms crossed as she watched her Wildcats fighting stupidly amongst themselves. This was Kagome's time to lay down the law and she couldn't interrupt, however badly she wanted to do so.

Instead of smiling proudly, Kagome looked at Knight with fire in her stare. "Enju did that to herself; I don't have to use violence to solve my problems like all of you."

Knight reeled back as though slapped while Katia regarded Kagome with a certain sort of regret in her stare; if only she hadn't dared Nana so boldly, Kagome might not have ever known about this situation. Yet, somehow, Katia knew that all of it would come back to bite her Kijo in the end; with so many against her, not even her loyals could protect her forever.

"You can't have seen enough violence to claim that, _Kijo,_" Lea interrupted, saying the word 'kijo' with incredibly sarcastic disdain.

"She could shoot you down in minutes, Skinner, make no mistake," Seila said roughly, as though she wanted to speak with her claws.

But Kagome's arm barred her way. "Seila," the brunette murmured in warning. Immediately, Seila stood down and lowered her eyes to the ground.

"Kagome can't use her gun to control us forever," Nana said finally, walking away from Akago, who had been lecturing her fiercely about using her magic in the public eye.  
"What is metal against the shadow which shields it?"

Kagome turned to stare Nana fearlessly in the eye, realizing that this girl had been the one to attack her only moments ago; her white bangs couldn't hide the condescending humor in her red and black eyes, a fact which made Kagome angrier than any of the rest of it. That one of her girls should speak to her like a child...it made her want to scream in frustration.

"I don't think we've had the pleasure," Kagome said icily. "What's your name."

It wasn't a question, so much as it was a demand, and Nana noted this with a cruel smile on her twisted lips. "My name is nothing. Just like you."

"Don't speak to her that way, _uchitoru-hebi,"_ Knight yelled, eyes blazing. "You and your dark magic aren't welcome here!"

"No," Kagome said immediately, never turning to face Knight even as she spoke to her; her eyes remained trained on Nana. "Don't say that, Knight; she will always be welcome here because she's one of ours and the Wildcats will not break. Isn't that right, Toumoku?"

Rin's face was still, almost like a pond in winter, as she replied quietly, "That's right, Kijo."

Nana's face was unreadable, though her eyes said it all; something in those cruel eyes had grown almost warm in that moment, as though the thought of being part of a family, of a unit, made her almost pleased. Kagome witnessed this subtle transition, though she didn't address it. Instead, she turned back towards the group at large and said strongly, "I'm going to be at the warehouse after school doing a butt load of French homework." At this, Ranbou, Shitora, Ayame and Miroku groaned and hung their heads; they'd almost forgotten. Kagome continued, "Anyone who wants to talk to me can do so then; anyone who wants to join me...you better be damn good at conjugating past-tense French verbs into the indicative on command."

As this was obviously a joke, many of the girls allowed relieved smiles and laughed, exchanging glances; maybe it was really go to be okay. Finally Kagome said, "You all can go back to what you were doing." Looking pointedly at Enju, who refused to meet her eyes, Kagome asked sardonically, "Do you like that better than 'dismissed,' Princess Enju?"

Enju said nothing, obviously properly embarrassed and put in her place. Satisfied that her job was done, Kagome turned and began walking back towards her lunch, leaving her friends to turn and follow. Akago lingered behind only momentarily, saying stiffly, "If you even so much as think a spell, Nana, I'll curse you back into the days of your forefathers."

He turned to go and suddenly rounded back on the group, saying hotly, "And Mae'Ora, stop trying to read my thoughts. Or anyone else's for that matter. Don't think I won't know."

Mae'Ora's blood red lips curled into a sort of uncaring smirk as she shifted her curvaceous body, watching Akago go with a light in her eyes. "I do believe you just got told off by your superior, Nana," she crooned, ignoring the fact that she'd just been scolded as well.

Nana remained quiet and retook her seat against the tree, sinking into deep thought as her snow white bangs shadowed her eyes from view. Even while Nana was silent, Enju's rebellion still burned; Kagome had humiliated her and dishonored the Wildcats by turning down Kagura's challenge. The wolf demon bit her lip so hard that she nearly drew blood as she stared vehemently down at the grassy floor; if Kagome wouldn't stand up for her gang, Enju would. She would face Kagura and she would uphold the honor and dignity of her sisters. Then Kagome would know exactly how unfit she was to lead.

9191919

**That was complicated. Sorry. The plot is about to get really intense, so beware; this is nothing in comparison to my ridiculous JKRowling-esque plot web that you're all about to uncover and groan at. **

**I've got some adorable art here from Kyra Komarniski, who also goes under the name Mad Max (huge grin.) Chibi characters away! Follow this link to my new deviant art:**

**http://macfenn. hosting Kyra's images here and right here right now state that I in no way own them and they are all her work; I say that in the picture comments and titles, but just to make sure. **

**If anyone would like to draw fanart of some of the new Wildcats, that would be fantastic; like let your imagination run wild. Take Nana, Knight, anyone, draw them. Please oh please. I'm begging you. PLEASE.**

**PLEASE DRAW THE WILDCATS!**

**Ahem. Kay. Love you guys. Look for the second installment in Ghost Dance coming up here real soon. **

**KOLU**


	5. Ghost Dance Part II

**Here is the second installment of Ghost Dance; much love.**

9191919

Mizumi Tousen couldn't remember the last time she'd weathered such a difficult day; it was one thing to feel sore from stress, but to be sore from physical abuse was a separate matter entirely. Dance that day had been almost precisely like the day before, though the weaker dancers had been transferred to more suited classes. As the rankings currently stood, Mizumi was the youngest dancer in South Tokyo history to ever make the advanced dance class and, while this was of course an honor, Shitora had decided almost immediately that it warranted more "special attention."

Mizumi could still remember the feeling of the bar in her lower back as Shitora "bumped" her into the wall "on accident."

The entire lesson had been rather tense because of Poly-sensei's failure to announce the dance captains for the year. She had said rather airily that her students would know their captains by the end of the day, but the girls were rather skeptical; dance was the last class as it was and it seemed as though Poly-sensei was enjoying withholding the names.

Mizumi walked rather stiffly into the locker room, holding her back tentatively as she began to attempt her locker combination. It was then that the final bell gave a loud ring and she groaned; she'd hoped to make it out before the other classes released, but apparently her back had kept her slow enough to ruin such a chance. Girls began pouring in, talking and laughing loudly amongst themselves.

Gan noticed Mizumi standing gingerly by her locker as she set down her books and furrowed her brow. "Mizumi? Is everything all right?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," Mizumi replied with false cheerfulness, concealing a wince as she tried to focus on her lock. She could still feel Gan's violet stare on her back. 

"Are you sure? You look like your in pain," Gan pressed.

"Just an accident in dance, I fell into the bar. Nothing to worry about; it'll be healed by morning," Mizumi lied marginally; while the scars on her face were barely even visible now due to her demon healing, Ryuukoytsusei had been rather suspicious about this so called "dancing accident." If she came home with another one, he might begin to ask even more frightening questions than he had the night before.

Gan raised her blonde eyebrows skeptically. "You fell into the bar you said?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of clumsy," Mizumi laughed.

"Funny," Gan murmured softly, crossing her arms. "I wouldn't peg the school's youngest up and coming dancer for 'clumsy.'"

Mizumi looked pointedly away as she managed to stand up straight, feigning painlessness. She continued turning her lock and managed to get it open on the fourth try, all of this under Gan's careful scrutiny.

"Hey Gan, Mizumi!" came a bright voice as Shale limped happily towards her locker, blonde hair falling in sheets around her pretty face. "How were your days?"

"Good, I suppose," Gan mumbled, adding as a bitter afterthought, "Except that Kayo is the French teacher from hell."

"Oh," Shale replied understandingly as she took a seat on the bench, rolling her blue eyes to the ceiling. "My history teacher gave me tons of work and I don't even know Japanese History; I'm completely doomed."

Mizumi sat gently down on the bench and began removing her slippers as she asked interestedly, "That's right, you're from America, aren't you? Me too; isn't it strange here?"

At this information, Shale's eyes grew wide and her grin seemed to expand, if this were possible. "You're from America, Mizumi? No way! Where?"

"Boston," Mizumi replied, smile flickering ever so slightly, "I lived there with my dad, but he sent me here to live with Ryuu a few days ago. What about you? Where are you from?"

"I'm from Texas originally, but I just moved here from New York," Shale said; her smile also rippled just as a stone might upset a pond before she continued almost weakly, "I can't say I miss it much; it's so nice here."

"In Tokyo?" Gan asked incredulously, shaking her blonde head in disbelief. "I was under the impression that we all lived in a rat infested shit hole."

This provoked a snorting laugh from Shale, who retorted, "Now New York; those are some rats. The biggest rat I ever saw was on the subway somewhere in Queens; it was this long," she said, holding up he hands and holding them about nine inches apart. "And that was minus the tail."

Mizumi shuddered visibly, shaking her head at the thought of such a creature; as she continued tugging down her knee socks in a rather ginger manner, Gan caught sight of something white in the corner of her eye. Reaching over towards Mizumi's locker, she tugged a message of the door front.

"Looks like you've got a note, Mizumi," Gan said rather curiously, holding out the paper for Mizumi to grasp.

Gan and Shale watched interestedly as Mizumi slowly unfolded the paper and scanned its contents, crimson eyes growing momentarily wide with excitement before they squeezed tightly shut with fear. "Oh no," she whispered, too horrified to raise the volume of her reaction any louder. She gently placed the note beside her on the bench and covered her face with her hands, shaking her green head sadly.

Blinking, Shale reached over and tentatively picked the note up in one of her slender hands, unfolding it and staring at the neatly handwritten words it bore:

_Dear Mizumi,_

_Congratulations! I've chosen you as one of the Dance Captains for this school year; I know you're new but don't worry, we're all behind you one hundred percent. I would like you to meet me at 6:00 p.m tonight in the studio to begin preparations for the upcoming year; your fellow captain, Shitora Taisho, will be there as well. See you soon!_

_Poly-sensei_

"Mizumi, this is great news!" Shale exclaimed, smiling widely. "Your captain, that's wonderful!"

Shale absently passed the note towards Gan as she continued praising her young friend; Gan scanned the note and shrugged. "I don't see anything so bad about this. Why do you look so upset?"

"Shitora. She hates me," Mizumi mumbled thickly through her hands, shaking her head sadly. Mizumi had been barely entertaining the thought of getting through the year with all her limbs intact; she didn't even want to think about being forced to spend even _more _time with a girl who obviously wanted her dead in a ditch. She had a feeling that Shitora would be relatively furious about Mizumi's appointment, especially since it practically declared them as equals.

"She hates everyone," Gan replied, unfettered. Grabbing her bag from her locker, she slammed it shut and gave Mizumi a reassuring smile. "Maybe in time, she'll learn to hate you less; then she'll like you about as well as she likes the rest of us."

"She doesn't seem like she hates everyone," Mizumi protested. Her crimson eyes were wide with what Gan realized was fear; the dragon demon was obviously incredibly frightened of the hanyou. "I see her talking and laughing with a bunch of people and she looks like she likes them a lot. So what's wrong with me?"

"You're competition," Shale said quietly, blue eyes downcast. The other two turned to face her in surprise; she'd yet to say anything even remotely depressing, but her sad smile was revealing a bit more than she might've intended. "People will do anything to weed out competition; I learned that the hard way."

The blonde stood unsteadily and managed to gain her balance, even with the obvious limp in her left leg. Her bright smile suddenly replaced her small one and she declared happily, "You can do it, Mizumi, just show her how serious you are! I bet you guys will become friends someday! I have to go, but I'll see you two tomorrow!"

Mizumi and Gan watched her go, wondering what her mysterious words could've meant. Gan's eyes drifted unconsciously to the girl's lame leg; perhaps there was more to that disability than met the eye.

"Shale is right," the violet eyed girl said finally. She shouldered her bag and prepared to leave, saying simply, "Show her you're serious and it should turn out fine. See you tomorrow." And with this, Gan walked tightly out the door, forever straight-laced and serious in all that she did.

Mizumi sighed and stared down at her shoes, ever mindful of the terrible pain in her back; that pain was a constant reminder that no matter how serious she was, Shitora Taisho would do anything to be the best. No matter what the cost.

On the other side of the locker room, Kagome slipped off her shoes slowly as she sat on the edge of the bench, watching girls filtering out the door in giggling groups. She felt no hurry as she gathered her things, finding herself in a seemingly empty locker room; there was something satisfying about silence in a normally crowded place. With a sigh, she shouldered her bag and prepared to head towards the exit when her ears caught the faint remains of a conversation.

"...knows she'll come. Kagura said she can't stay away because she has to prove herself, you know?"

"Yeah. I mean, she'd look like a total coward."

Kagome stilled and furrowed her brow, craning her ear towards the sound; the girls were obviously human and oblivious to any and all presences but their own. They continued blithely, never even entertaining the thought that a curious listener might be lingering around the corner; _I guess Rin was right. Vixens are like boys with boobs: all they can think about is sex and it ruins the rest of their mind, _Kagome thought with a wry roll of her eyes. She listened to the rest of the conversation intently.

"So when are we meeting Kagura again?"

"She said the warehouse at 6:30 so that we can all get ready in time. Oh and she said that if you don't have a gun, we can borrow from the old Spider hut. I'm thinking about just taking that shit, though; you know, selling some of it?"

"Good idea; I hear Naraku had an old...Thrift's and Weslom? I dunno what it's called...but it's supposed to be really expensive, like collector's shit."

_Smith's and Wesson. Dear sweet Lord..._Kagome practically whined aloud to herself.

"Yeah, whatever, we'll grab that one. But don't be late, you know how Kagura gets. She said first one to shoot Higurashi's tit gets 60,000 yen."

_What kind of offer is that? Shoot me in the boob? From one woman to another, that's totally uncalled for!_

"Wow, that much? But that'll be kinda hard, her tits are pretty small."

_Pretty small?! Why I oughta..._

"Wherever we shoot her, we have to be there at 6:30. So tell Bokoru he'll have to wait 'til later for a fuck; compared to 60,000 yen, what's 12,000 anyway?"

"Yeah, but...I dunno, he pays pretty good compared to a bunch of em. I mean, do you know Juuroumaru only paid 1000? What a skive."

_I knew they weren't just sluts; they're getting paid. God, I knew it; who would whore themselves like that? Especially to jerks like Juuroumaru and the rest of them. Well, most of them are dead anyway...I think. _

"Let's catch dinner before we go; I'm fucking starved."

"Yeah, sure."

The girls gathered their things and gossiped their way out the door, talking about who was doing who and what was in style until their voices disappeared down the hallway. Kagome waited a safe amount of time before letting go of her breath, sighing to herself as she worked her way around benches and lockers towards the door. She was certainly glad that she hadn't taken Kagura up on her offer. Who knew what might've happened if she'd gone?

9191919

"Okay, question 14. At what's temperature, in Kelvin units, do most elements come upon their natural states?"

Knight stared at the question blankly, turning her eye towards Katia, who looked likewise confused by their chemistry worksheet. They were sitting at a table in the Fangs warehouse with their fellow core members, shirts unbuttoned in the stifling heat as the hum of fans made a gentle noise in the background; several mechanics worked busily behind them, adjusting gauges and fixing broken parts, while the present leaders carried on a rather quiet conversation in the lounge. While the Fang, Reikon and Cobra leaders were slaving away at football practice, the other members of the Southern leaders' council were busy working out the monthly finance allowances.

Back at the homework table, Knight and Katia had yet to stumble upon an answer.

"Hey, does anyone know the answer to 14 on the chem sheet?" Knight asked the rest of Kagome's Nakama, flipping her purple hair moodily over her shoulder; tensions were still high from that morning.

"Isn't that question theoretically something that students in the AP chemistry class should know the answer to?" Nana asked boredly, barely even sparing the girls a feral crimson glance before returning to her math homework.

Knight scowled angry, making as thought to rise. "Do you really want to start something with me, outcast?"

"As if I would stop what I was doing to fight someone so unworth my time," Nana replied boredly; the way her eyes remained transfixed on her work just proved to further Knight's anger.

The tiger demon narrowed her eyes dangerously and let out her claws with a carnal, metallic chink. "That's it, I've had just about enough of you!"

In the back of the warehouse, Akago adjusted his spectacles as he stared blankly at the finance allowance spreadsheet. "We're siphoning far too much into renovations when we should focus on repairs. Dress up comes after fix up."

Rin pouted her cherry red lips irritatedly and flipped her hair over her shoulder with practiced ease. "Aw, c'mon Akago. My convertible has chipped paint on the bumper!"

This caused Ayame to snort and her green eyes flickered visibly. "Rin, that's not a big deal. I'll fix that for free."

"And that's about seventy dollars less on the renovations budget," Akago said swiftly, marking down the correction with his fountain pen.

Gan made a strange sound in the back of her throat, as though she were about to comment on the ridiculousness of most of the budget allowances, but a ruckus near the front of the warehouse drew attention away from the plethora of spreadsheets on the lounge table. In one gaze, Akago analyzed the situation between Knight and Nana.

"Gan, if you could see to that," he said simply, before returning his crimson eyes to the papers at hand.

With a deep sigh, Gan rose and began walking curtly towards the table, blonde ponytail swinging behind her. She thought many mutinous things to herself as she neared the warring core, muttering about respect and restraint before she finally found herself standing at the table's head, violet eyes sweeping the scene before her.

"What's going on here?" she asked shortly, mustering up her stern's leader's gaze.

Knight barred her teeth at Nana, as though oblivious to Gan's presence, but the shadow demon merely put on a plastic smirk. "Nothing, Gan-dono; Knight's just professing her love for me."

"Burn in hell!"

"Watch out tiger, your cowardice is showing."

"Stop this, both of you!" Gan ordered immediately, shifting her stare from one girl to the other. "Conduct yourselves appropriately; this is not a daycare, it's a working facility. Your making fools of yourselves."

There was a pregnant silence, during which Nana and Knight never broke eye contact; while some girls were observing the confrontation, most were continuing obliviously with their homework. Dissention was so normal these days that escalated voices were hardly cause for alarm.

Finally, Knight quailed under Gan's eyes and murmured, "Yes, Gan-dono."

Nana likewise nodded, though her smirk was rather light and triumphant; Gan narrowed her eyes briefly before nodding and turning to return to her meeting with the other leaders.

Katia, however, raised her head and asked curiously, "Gan-dono, what's the Kelvin temperature at which most elements come upon their natural states?"

Without stopping in her retreat, Gan replied flatly, "298 degrees."

"How did you know that off the top of your head?" Knight asked bewilderly.

"Memorization," came Gan's faraway reply.

At that moment, the sound of a smooth and well running engine drew every eye in the warehouse towards the gravel parkway outside; a silver corvette was rolling towards building and it sounded like a very expensive machine. Knight narrowed her blue eyes curiously, but they widened suddenly as she recognized the driver.

"Holy crap, that's Kei Sasuga!"

Murmurs immediately broke out amongst the other, who had all seen the ex-Fang leader at one point or another but still revered him like a god. The silver corvette parked and the engine cut, causing several of the mechanics to sigh in longing, before Kei stepped out of the driver's side, looking sharp in his black business suit with his blonde hair in a stately ponytail at the nape of his neck. His forest green eye swept the forefront of the warehouse and he waved to several of the mechanics he knew by name. Before the teenagers had time to get over the arrival of their hero, the backseat doors and passenger door opened as well, revealing none other than Shippo, Souten and, most surprisingly, Kagome.

Shippo and Souten, wearing the black and red middle school uniforms, thanked Kei briefly before hurrying towards the warehouse to work on this afternoon's broken car. Kagome smiled at Kei and thanked him for the ride before reshouldering her bag and walking calmly towards the homework table. Kei entered the warehouse as well but made a direct bee line towards the back table, greeting the leaders before taking a seat next to Akago.

Kagome set down her bag at the table and smiled at the girls. "Hey. Any life threatening brawls in my absence?"

"No, Kijo," Katia replied, smiling in a way which made her leopard facial marks contort. "We've just been studying."

Kagome glanced at Knight, who couldn't seem to meet her gaze, and Nana, who met her gaze all too readily. "Mhmm," Kagome replied, cocking her eyebrows but saying nothing more on the matter.

Kagome took a seat in between Morioka and Seila, both of whom greeted her respectfully before returning to their work. Kagome was just digging out her French homework when she addressed the nagging feeling in the back of her mind; something was missing. After a moment, she realized that the table was plagued with a sense of loss; Kagome's eyes fell upon every face and every book before she furrowed her brow.

"I knew something was missing; no one's called me a bitch traitor yet. Where's Enju at?"

To Kagome's surprise, not a single pair of eyes raised to meet her questioning gaze. Several pens stopped flourishing and a few pages stopped in mid-turn, but none of her followers made a single attempt to address her question. Kagome's eyes gazed around the circle, finally stopping on Nana. The shadow demon was quietly continuing on with her homework, as though oblivious to Kagome's presence, though their leader knew better.

"Why were you riding with Kei, Kijo?" Katia asked, as though trying to distract her superior from Nana's carnality.

Kagome's eyes never left Nana, however, as she replied tightly, "I was a little late to the parking lot and Rin took off without me. Now where's Enju? Nana? Any ideas?"

The shadow demon put down her pen calmly before balancing her chin on her palms, smiling as though her lips were made of twisted tree branches rather than skin. Her strange white bangs did little to hide the sparkle in her crimson eyes as she replied almost teasingly, "How would I know...Kijo?"

She said the word "Kijo" as though it were a joke in her mouth and Kagome furrowed her dark brow stiffly. "Nana, I won't ask again; where's Enju?"

"Oh, you won't ask again, will you?" Nana patronized further, standing from her seat in a rather confrontational manner. "Maybe you're afraid that I'll actually respond."

Seila immediately stood and narrowed her eyes coldly, saying in her rich voice, "Don't touch her, _bakemono."_

Instead of taking offence at Seila's name-calling, Nana threw back her head suddenly and let loose a blood curdling laugh, one which echoed off the rafters and sent shivers down the back of everyone present. "A monster? You think I'm a monster, wolf? Well, I'm not the boogie man, I'm just your everyday anti-hero." With this, she took a step nearer to Kagome and Seila.

Seila let out her claws and Kagome instinctively reached towards her belt only to find the thin waistband of her school uniform at her fingertips. Her face must've paled considerably because Nana smirked, an action which revealed the pointed tip of one pearly white fang. "And look at this; Kagome-dono doesn't have her precious trump card on hand. Where's your pistol, Kijo? Where's your bargaining chip?"

"Must've left it in my responsible state of mind," Kagome murmured, half to herself; what had she been thinking, walking into the warehouse unarmed? She knew that complications were bound to arise where her Nakama was concerned, so why hadn't she picked up her gun? Maybe the thought of holding it to one of her follower's foreheads was growing less appealing the more she got to know them. Maybe her first day of school had simply been enjoyable enough that she'd forgotten to care about safety. Maybe she was getting too comfortable.

"Afraid to fight me now, Kijo?" Nana whispered almost seductively, releasing her claws and licking them one by one; by this time, her eyes were a dark and frightening carmine, causing her blood colored lips to seem even more violent against her white face.

Now Kagome had seen her fair share of claws in these past four months, but Nana's were the first in a brand new category; instead of the normal white, they were a steely black, almost like marble. The way they shone so dully made something in Kagome's stomach wary and frightened, though she daren't show it lest she lose her life by these claws.

Nana followed her gaze quickly and laughed another one of her startlingly loud laughs. "Oh, my claws? You've never seen _kagekane _before, have you?"

"_Kagekane?"_ Kagome asked quietly, as though raising her voice would provoke Nana's unpredictable temper.

"Shadow metal; we're the only species of demon in the world who can wield them. It's the strongest known material in this world; isn't that interesting?" Nana held her claws towards the light, allowing the others to watch the warehouse light sparkling off the strange sable razors.

Seila grew steely-eyed. "Our elders call it _iwashouten_. Death rock. They say that anyone who dies at the hand of _iwashouten _bypasses the judgment of the gods and goes straight to makai."

At the mention of "makai," meaning "hell," Kagome's lips tightened visibly. She said bravely, however, "Whatever your claws are made of is not my main concern. I just want to know where Enju is, okay? This isn't about you, Nana, it's about her."

This idea seemed neither to irritate or please her and Nana just shrugged, gaze level. "I think the real question here, Kijo, is why you care so much."

"Because she's one of ours; she may not like me, but Enju is still part of my core and I want to make sure she's safe," came Kagome's immediate response.

The other girls exchanged confused glances, as though they couldn't understand why Kagome would care about such a thing. Nana asked dully, "You want to protect the one who likes you the least? Quite a strategy, Kijo."

"I don't care whether or not she likes me, Nana. It's not my job to be liked. I'm supposed to make sure that my Wildcats are safe; that's my job."

The conviction in Kagome's voice struck a chord in every chest around the table and several pairs of eyes widened visibly. Kagome continued staring fearlessly at Nana, who had by this time retracted her claws. Nana met Kagome's brown gaze with her red ones and the air was tense and silent before Nana said airily, "She's standing in for you at the Vixen challenge."

The blank look in Kagome's eyes caused the room to still as her mouth fell slightly agape; for a single moment, Kagome nearly forgot who she was out of sheer surprise. She hadn't even thought to lower her voice when talking with Kagura that day and now she was paying the price.

"She went? Like, she's already gone?" 

Nana shrugged blankly at her leader as she replied, "She left right after school, so I can only assume."

Kagome let out a frustrated sound and bent over at the waist, grabbing her hair by the handfuls as she muttered curse after curse. "Will that stupid girl never learn?!" she screamed, stomping her feet out of sheer desperation.

Katia and Knight exchanged glances while Morioka raised her eyebrows, tentatively rising to approach her Kijo. "Um...Kagome-dono? Is there something about this meeting that we don't know?"

"It's a trap! I knew it was from the get-go, but some of Kagura's girls were talking about it in the locker room after school, all about how the entire gang is gonna be there and how the first person to shoot my tit gets 60,000 yen! They're getting their freaking guns from Naraku's old stash, for Christ's sake!" Kagome yelled hotly, face contorted with a sort of furious fear. "Dear sweet Jesus! That girl is fucking ridiculous!"

Without another word, Kagome began jogging towards the leader's table, calling out, "Rin, I need the keys!"

Rin glanced up from the planner's meeting, raising her eyebrows at Kagome as the others did the same. "What for?"

"I have to go chase down one of my stupid girls who decided that running into a Vixen trap was a good idea!" Kagome replied shortly.

Kei furrowed his handsome brow and lazily unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. "Who is it exactly who's gone charging off?"

"Enju," Kagome replied angrily as she grabbed the keys from Rin's reluctantly outstretched palm. "Without discussion, without thought and, most importantly, without my permission, she has gone running into Vixen territory to take a 'challenge' that Kagura offered me."

Kei seemed to deliberate this point for a moment, leaf green eyes narrowed in thought as he templed his fingers. Finally he murmured, "Impudent little thing, isn't she?"

"The most impudent," Kagome replied irritably, rolling her brown eyes as she prepared to leave. "And now, I have to go fish her ass out of perhaps the most thought-out trap the Vixens have ever stopped fucking long enough to plan; she's such an idiot! She could get herself killed!"

With this, Kagome turned on her heels and began running rather quickly towards Rin's convertible, thoughts running busily through her mind as she ignored the frantic calls of her other Nakama members, who were growing more confused by the moment. Kagome checked her watch habitually as she unlocked the car and ducked into the driver's seat; it was already 6:00. The Vixen's new lair was at least half an hour away and, by that time, Kagura and her girls would be arriving at the Vixen house to begin their formation for attack. Kagome growled in frustration and started the engine, ignoring the purr of the beautiful engine beneath her hands as she maneuvered it skillfully out of the gravel parkway. Counting in the traffic on the regular roads, she would have to take the country highway to make it anyway in a reasonable time; Enju had honestly picked the worst time of Kagome's day to cause suck a ruckus. Despite her outward irritation, Kagome was a twisted mess of knots and worries on the inside.

She could only hope that she arrived in time.

9191919

Enju removed her helmet and shook her brown mane loose, blinking as the Tokyo sunset glared off the metal roofing of the Vixen house. Since Naraku's fall, they'd taken up lodging in a small abandoned apartment building near the old Spider warehouse. Enju observed the place with her callous yellow eyes and allowed them to sweep the premises freely; she surmised that the place might've once been low budget housing, later abandoned by the failing project development companies. It had been a rather popular trend in Tokyo's early nineties for the government to set up project housing but deem it unfit for living only months later due to poor upkeep. Enju guessed that this building was one of thousands which had served as home to squatters since then

For a moment, the wolf demon wondered if she'd read the address correctly; the smeared ink instructions on her left palm proved rather unhelpful and she simply let out a ragged sigh, turning her eyes to the front door sternly. Enju turned up her pert little nose and held her chin up high; as the elders of her clan always said, "Pride before the fall, but the fall before victory." She wouldn't let her gang be dishonored by her incompetent leader's insufficient knowledge of the gangs' interworkings. If Kagome wouldn't stand up for her girls, then Enju would do it in her stead.

The wolf demon allowed her fingers to drift lazily to the gun on her hip, savoring the feel of the cold metal against the cool leather of her pants. After careful deliberation, she had decided that wearing her school uniform to a show down was unacceptable and she changed into black leather pants, a black shirt and her Wildcats jacket; she needed to remind those Vixens who they were getting beaten by.

There was a rancid smell around the place, almost akin to the stench which arises when too many perfumes are mixed in a small space. Enju wrinkled her nose and placed a piece of hair demurely behind her ear, approaching the door cautiously. After a few moments of motionless, Enju steadied herself in her boots and kicked open the door with a mighty crash, withdrawing her gun threateningly.

Though there was little sound and even less light, Enju could make out the presences of an entire horde of Vixens before her and she frowned; Kagura hadn't mentioned such a number in her challenge to Kagome. As her demon eyes adjusted to the light, Enju was able to see the faces and bodies off at least 30 girls, if not more; each of them was holding a firearm. The wolf demon tightened her grip on the gun in her hands, trying to ignore the sweat as it leaked onto her palms. She gritted her teeth almost unconsciously, fangs digging into her lip as she bit it backwards; judging by the now audible rustling of clothes and chinking of chains; nearly the entirety of the Vixen gang was standing in the room with her right at that moment.

"You're not Kagome Higurashi."

The lights flashes on and Enju blinked at the sudden light, withholding a gasp as the girls seem to materialize before her. Maybe 40, if not more, she realized, were standing with the barrels of the guns pointed directly at her head. Kagura was standing boldly in front, arms crossed over her scantily clad chest as he blood red lips curled into a deadly smile.

"And since you're not Kagome Higurashi, killing you is pointless."

Enju said nothing, though she released a breath of relief. This caused Kagura to laugh a cold laugh, which brought mirth to the face of every short-skirted teen in the room.

"But that doesn't mean we won't do it."

Enju's eyes widened momentarily, though she barely even had time to think as the army of guns before her cocked back, preparing to fire. Before Enju could even contemplate the idea of her own untimely death, the door behind her burst open for the second time and the wolf demon was pushed brutally to the side, whereupon she landed painfully on the cold floor.

"You're fight is with me, Kagura, not her."

Kagome stepped boldly into the room, pistols in each hand as she stared down the Vixen leader stiffly; Kagura's crimson eyes flashed with delight as he prey finally arrived and she switched her hips saucily to the side. "I didn't think you'd show, Higurashi."

"Then why have this big party?" Kagome fired back.

The Vixen leader deliberated the question for a moment, walking forward slowly on her black stiletto heels. "Well," she purred finally, "I guess it all came down to who I wanted to get; in the end it wanted to get you. And as far as I can tell, the best way to get you is to hurt everyone else around you. So I decided that, if you brought back-up or sent some of your girls, then I would remind you exactly who owns this block...by sending back their heads."

Kagome hid her disgust and replied levelly, "That's pretty Naraku of you, Kagura."

"What can I say, I learned from the best," Kagura cooed in reply.

Kagome and Kagura stared at one another for a lengthy period of time before the former finally broke the silence. "Let Enju leave and we'll settle this ourselves."

Kagura narrowed her crimson eyes and allowed them to drift from Kagome to Enju, who was kneeling on the ground exactly where Kagome had left her mere moments before. The wolf's amber eyes were alight with fear, worry and an entire accumulation of emotions which not even she could identify. When Kagome made this proposition, Enju hesitated a glance up at her leader and a new emotion joined her twisted insides. Could it perhaps be...admiration?

The Vixen leader replied flippantly, "Oh, I don't think so. Two is better than one, after all. Girls, at the ready." The other Vixens exchanged glances, confused by the order, and Kagura rolled her eyes. "That means get your guns ready, you stupid bitches."

There were muffled murmurs of "oh" as the army of barely dressed girls readjusted their guns, ignoring the aching in their arms; they'd been holding the guns for five straight minutes now.

Kagome glanced down at Enju and muttered through gritted teeth, "Go get help. Now."

Enju nodded frantically and was scrambling up to lunge for the door when Kagura roared, "Don't move or we'll shoot!"

The wolf demon froze, brown hair falling in wisps across her face as she stared at the Vixens cautiously. By this time, she was standing next to Kagome, who just murmured a curse and tightened her grip on the gun in her hands. Her eyes swept the place habitually, trying to look for a way out; the entirety of the lower floor was covered in drapes of pink and red, making the building seem like a clandestine gypsy hideaway; the broken down stairs led up towards a mysterious second floor, though Kagome doubted that they could make it up fast enough to actually make an escape. The entire Vixen house screamed "lost childhood," but Kagome couldn't spare any time to feel sympathetic for her enemies. At the current time, her one and only desire was to escape from this situation alive. Sympathy could happen later.

Now Kagome couldn't be sure, but she was almost positive that backup would arrive rather soon whether she wanted it to or not. Judging by the look on Rin's face when her cousin ran off with the car keys, she wasn't about to let Kagome go in alone and find herself outnumbered, which she now was. Theoretically, if she could put her faith in Rin and the other Wildcats, then all she had to do for the next few minutes was stall for time.

"Or how about this," Kagome began confidently. "I shoot you, Kagura. You don't look like you have a gun or anything."

Kagura frowned and clenched her weaponless fists. "I don't need one, human. I'm a walking gun."

"Really?" Kagome asked with mock confusion. "Cause I don't remember seeing you, like, fight or anything before. I mean, _do _you fight? _Can _you fight?"

"You don't want to find out, trust me," Kagura whispered, crimson eyes narrowed dangerously.

Besides Kagome, Enju stiffened slightly as she listened to Kagome taunting the Vixen leader; why didn't she simply shoot her already? Enju glanced at Kagome, who seemed not to notice her; was her leader really so cowardly that she wouldn't stand up to the very woman who'd summoned her there? Though the wolf demon might've been showing slight forgiveness before, Kagome's new infraction was rekindling her previous disdain and anger. Without a second thought, Enju reached out and grabbed the gun from Kagome, ignoring the shouts of surprise as she pulled the trigger.

The shot rang off the walls of the dingy building and several Vixens ducked for cover as the wayward bullet hit the ceiling, causing plaster to rain down upon the carpeted floor. Kagura screamed with anger and her crimson eyes began to glow ominously; as the Vixen leader came at Enju with demon speed at her aid, Kagome barely had time to think.

She threw herself in Kagura's way at the very last moment.

Kagura's outstretched claws, already in mid-swing, tore across Kagome's shoulder and back, causing the girl to cry out in pain. Tears began leaking from Kagome's eyes and she let out a sound somewhere between a sob and a scream as she crumpled to the ground, blood staining her school shirt and the dirty ground beneath her. Enju's yellow eyes were wide with horror as her leader spasmed at her feet, normally kind brown eyes tightly shut and pretty cheeks pale like marble. The wolf demon's mouth opened, as though she were about to say something or scream in distress, but no sound issued from between her lips.

Though mildly surprised by the mishap, Kagura merely shrugged her shoulders and turned her eyes to Enju. "I missed. But all the same to me; now I'm going to kill you for ruining my rug."

Enju's eyes barely strayed to the plaster on the oriental rug back towards the right; she was mostly preoccupied with Kagura as she continually took steps forward, preparing to do away with Enju just as she had Kagome.

Her claws had just raised when a quick "zip" interrupted the calm air; a small dart seemed to grow from Kagura's neck and she frowned, reaching up to touch it just as her eyes rolled back and she sank to the ground unconscious. Enju, who's legs were trembling rather badly at this point, hesitated a glance at the stairs; standing on the landing were Gan the Gun and Akago Tsume, both still in their school uniforms and looking angry enough to kill. Gan's famous pistol was upraised, no doubt the source of Kagura's tranquilizer dart, and Akago's rapier hilt was just visible at his belt line. It took Enju a moment to come into herself and realize that the building was completely surrounded by Southerners; they were saved.

A gun in the living room cocked suddenly, but Gan's barrel immediately found the Vixen in question, who seemed ready to jump on the ball and take out a Southern leader to become a Northern hero. Finding Gan's gun sight set on her, the girl dropped her gun immediately and raised her hands to the air.

"If anyone moves, I'll shoot you dead where you stand," Gan said frostily, walking a few steps down the grayish stairs, which creaked and groaned beneath her weight. Her violet eyes were flashing so violently that Enju almost expected to find the gun pointed at her. Gan the Gun was in a murderous rage and the wolf couldn't figure out why.

Kagome whimpered at Enju's feet, coughing slightly as blood bubbled at her lips; Akago hurriedly followed his second in command at a brisk jog, bending down to place his fingers at Kagome's neck.

"Alive, but barely," Akago reported. "Enju, go outside this instant and find Rin, don't leave her sight or I'll kill you myself." His crimson eyes were a dull blood red and his silver braid shone strangely in the dim apartment lights; Enju couldn't remember seeing the normally playful man seem so serious and she wasn't about to test him.

The wolf demon nodded shakily and scrambled out the door, bursting into evening sun to savor the fresh air. It was a nice change from the musty interior of the Vixen house, but her eyes protested the outside light fiercely. She shielded her brow but was still able to make out several familiar cars and motorcycles parked on the street, along with several familiar faces lined up outside with their weapons on-hand. The wolf could just make out Rin standing tensely at the edge of the curb, lips tight and eyes worried; without another though, Enju ran down the steps towards her leader, standing stiffly at her side; Rin said nothing to Enju and only continued to stare at the doorway through which her cousin was currently being carried.

Gan glanced inside, saying to the confused and frightened Vixens, "If any of you try anything like this again, I will most certainly come to your houses and kill you all while you sleep. Good day." Her violet eyes sparkled dangerously as she allowed Akago to carry Kagome safely through the doorway just before she slammed the door behind her.

The Vixens dropped their guns immediately and several of them began to cry; a small girl with silver hair dashed forward, eyes dry, to attend to Kagura. The small girl glanced at the door through which the Southerners had just left and sighed. It seemed her brother had crossed over for good after all. Kanna examined the dart embedded in Kagura's neck and rolled her eyes; a tranquilizer. How merciful.

As one of the girls let out a particularly obnoxious sob, Kanna turned and snapped angrily, "Shut up, you hear me? You're lucky Higurashi didn't know that most of your guns weren't loaded or you'd all be dead! Grow a back bone!"

"You could've at least taught us how to shoot before throwing us out there! Leader was just supposed to shoot her in the arm as a warning and let her leave while we shot blanks!" the sobbing girl declared in an accusatory voice, glaring at Kanna bitterly.

Kanna simply sighed and turned back to Kagura, talking to the unconscious girl quietly. "This didn't exactly turn out the way you planned; of course, none of your plans ever do, do they Toumoku?"

Outside, Akago had barely made it through the door when he found his arms relieved of Kagome's nearly non-existent weight; Inuyasha had arrived on the scene mere second ago and was furious to find out the details he'd been so sketchily told on the phone by Gan.

He'd been dressing in the locker room after practice when Sesshomaru received a phone call, which was then followed by cursing, Inuyasha stealing the phone, and even more cursing. Inuyasha couldn't quite remember how many gods he'd cursed, though he was quite sure than none of them were his. The remaining Southern core members had hurried from the locker room, grabbing the dancers on their way before driving immediately to the Vixen house which was, unsurprisingly, not a secret location at this point. Inuyasha had expected Kagome to come walking calmly outside, reprimanding Enju for her foolishness. Never in his mind had he actually expected the normally bimbo Vixens to get violent. Like the other Southern leaders, who were quiet and still with surprise at Kagome's condition, he hadn't thought them capable of it.

"She's losing a lot of blood," Gan declared aloud as they jogged down the front steps, addressing the Nakama members and leaders before him. "We'll have to hurry back and stitch her up, or she'll bleed out."

Rin sighed stiffly, sounding more angry than anything, as she muttered through gritted teeth, "Then take her." The leader rounded on Enju and snarled hatefully, "And you, you stupid little bitch, I don't know what was going on in your brain when you decided to endanger the entire South, but you can guarantee that you won't get away with it!"

As Rin continued reprimanding Enju, Ayame and Sango stood quietly nearby. They had accompanied their leader, expecting to find a rather bad situation that was fixable with a show of force, but apparently Kagura had already done her damage. Like Inuyasha, they hadn't expected the Vixens to actually get violent, especially when it might anger the South and reignite the recent hatred from the war. Sango bit her lip as her fists clenched; she was doing her best not to watch Kagome as she spasmed with pain and gasped at the sensation of cold air on her open flesh. Ayame placed a calming hand on Sango's shoulder, green eyes glistening with what might've been tears, but most assuredly would never fall; neither of them could stand to see their docile friend hurting so badly.

Sesshomaru stood nearby with his core behind him, all save Inuyasha who was placing Kagome gently in the backseat of his Lamborghini, trying not to jar her body in any way that might cause her more pain. Kouga and Miroku were standing tight lipped behind their leader, both looking ready to charge into Vixen headquarters and dismember anyone who might be lingering near the doorway, female or otherwise. Sesshomaru was busy wondering what would scare the Vixens so badly that they might risk inciting the entire South's rage over a little girl like Kagome. What had frightened them so badly?

Shitora stood behind her leader and brother as well, still in her dance leotard, short and tights; she'd barely had time to even grab her things on the way out, so her Pointe shoes were hanging dismally from her pale hands, leaving her bare feet to face the concrete on their own. She glanced at Ranbou, who was standing nearby with his arms crossed; Hakkaku and Ginta flanked him on either side, all three looking unaffected by Kagome's wounds. It was sometimes hard for Shitora to remember that, when the time called for it, her boyfriend could easily become a ruthless killer; he'd probably seen things like this a thousand times over. The hanyou gulped, aiming her amber eyes at the ground; Ranbou might not have been affected by Kagome's pained face, but Shitora certainly was.

Bankotsu, Hiten, Suikotsu and Jakotsu were talking in hushed voices in a huddle nearby, occasionally sending glances in Enju's direction as Rin continued to berate her. Hiten, who's relationship with Kagome was rather close to begin with, looked even more furious than his friends, who looked angry enough by themselves. Shitora was trying to make out their conversation with her demon hearing, but they were simply talking too quietly. Sighing, she gave up on this attempt and refocused her attention on Kagome, who had now disappeared in the backseat of Inuyasha's car.

"Alright, let's hurry, we don't have much time," Akago said commandingly, jogging towards his blue Ferrari with a heat in his step, Gan at his heels.

The others moved at this order and began piling into their own cars as others mounted their motorcycles; the Southern caravan took off down the back roads, trying to avoid major thoroughfares and potential run-ins with the law as they drove rather speedily towards the warehouse, hoping they would make it in time. For Kagome's sake.

9191919

Akago sat silently in a nearby chair, arms folded over the back of it as he watched Gan work. They were carrying on their affairs in the warehouse's back room, the same one in which Akago had discovered his second in command's dearest secret those few weeks ago. It was a plain room with nothing but a long table and a few chairs in its dusty confines, but it would always represent so much more than a simple recovering place to Akago. His crimson eyes followed Gan's every movement as she pulled the needle in and out, in and out of Kagome's flesh. It should've looked gruesome, though Akago simply couldn't find such graceful movements ugly. Perhaps it was simply the way in which Gan performed them that looked so remarkable.

Gan's violet eyes never left her work as her pale, slender hands moved nimbly back and forth, watching grimly as she performed her task. Her lips were constricted in a rather polite looking frown and pieces of blonde hair seemed to continually find their way before her eyes; she would push them away, habitually, with impatient little motions. Her posture was perfect, as it had always been, and if Akago squinted, he could see boy Gan standing there in the very same room with him. The only problem was that, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't relate to her or see her as a boy anymore. It might've been easier, had she been ugly, but that was the problem; Gan was incredibly lovely. It was strange to look at someone whom he'd seen as a man for those three and a half some-odd years and finding a woman, not only that, but a pleasing one. Akago wondered to himself, _but how didn't I see it? She looks completely feminine now; how did I look at that face and see a man? Is it her hair? That's certainly a factor, yes, but was it something else? Her voice? Her mannerisms? _

But he soon realized that, brains being built as they were, he met her and automatically assumed that she was a boy. Thereafter he had regarded her as such without doubt simply because he had been trained to see a boy and that was precisely what he saw. Strangely enough, as he looked at her now, the same personality remained yet in an entirely different body. Where her baggy clothes had once hidden her feminine curves, they were now unintentionally accentuated in his school uniform and practically anything she wore. While her hair had always been hidden beneath her cabbie hat, it was now long and flowing. Her voice, once deeper and harsher, was now light and round, almost soft. All of this complete with Gan's tack-like personality and Akago was getting very confused. _The real question is this: if I'm attracted to her, does that make me gay?_

"Done."

Akago refocused his eyes as Gan finished her last stitch and looked up, sighing slightly. "I can't say I like the fact that Kagome, who's already tired and stressed enough as it is, has three huge gashes on her back, but it's as good as it's going to get."

The Shark leader carefully untangled himself from the chair and approached the table, allowing his eyes to drift over the neat stitching on Kagome's back. "You've done a fine job, Gan. She'll be thanking you when she wakes up."

As if hearing Akago's words, Kagome twitched on the table and her eyes fluttered open. She felt the now dull pain on her back, the feeling of freshly numbed flesh and the tingling of whatever hurting might follow the disappearance of said numbness. Kagome could remember several things about her attempted rescue mission, none of them good; when she finally came into her mind enough to recognize Gan and Akago standing near the table, she spoke clearly.

"Where's my bra?"

Akago chuckled. "I'm afraid it got the same treatment as your back," the white haired man reported amusedly, holding up the shredded remains of what might've been her bra at one time.

Kagome groaned and rested her chin on the cold metal of the table, remaining still lest she either hurt her back or inadvertently flash her two friends. "I'm going to have to go bra shopping now; Kagura is in such trouble. That's my least favorite thing to do, bra shopping. Where's my shirt then?"

Sighing slightly, Gan reached over and picked up Kagome's white school shirt, stained with dried black blood stains, between her thumb and forefinger rather gingerly.

"Here."

"Well, if you two would turn around, I'm going to put it on," Kagome said wearily, trying to ignore the reluctance in Gan's eyes. "Come on, Gan, I've got work to do. You know how it is."

Finally, Gan turned until her back was facing Kagome; Akago did the same, hiding his amused smile at Gan's concern for her friend. It was rare that Gan ever showed worry and even rarer that she showed affection, so this entire experience just made him smile.

Kagome picked up the shirt, laying next to her on the table, and managed to rise into a sitting position with a good deal of wincing and grunting involved. Knowing that she couldn't stretch what she now identified as stitches, she moved slowly and steadily as she raised her smarting shoulders into the arm holes. Buttoning her shirt was a painful experience, but the girl simply bit her lip and continued until she was fully clothed. She knew part of her back was visible through the torn holes, but she doubted that the gashes looked as bad as they had. Maybe seeing them stitched would reassure her friends.

The Wildcat core leader swung her legs gently over the table's edge and pushed herself into a standing position; it was perhaps the only position that didn't hurt her.

"Is Enju okay?"

Gan and Akago turned slowly around and regarded Kagome with equally dry looks. "Is she serious?" Gan murmured, cocking one of her blonde eyebrows smoothly.

"She's fine, Kagome. Completely unhurt," Akago replied with a note of disdain in his voice. "She's outside getting an earful from the others."

Nodding slightly, a motion which upset her now blood dipped black hair, Kagome said softly, "Thank you both for helping me. I have to do something now. Something not very nice. I would be really thankful if one of you could give me a ride home after this; Rin won't be staying."

Without another word, Kagome walked proudly, albeit stiffly, towards the door to the inner warehouse and opened it slowly, relishing in the familiar smell of grease and cigarettes. It was dark outside, she could see, meaning that it was already past 8:30; the gravel way was littered with cars and the soft night breeze was blowing in through the hangar door. Despite the late hour, the lounge area of the warehouse was full. All of the leaders and their Nakama members were present, she could see, most of them smoking cigarettes and talking quietly amongst themselves. For a moment, she wondered why they were talking in such hushed tones; the answer came to her as her ear honed in on the sound of yelling and arguing.

Kagome turned slightly and took in the sight of her core, which was situated at the table where they'd been so diligently attending their homework those few hours ago; funny how the time seemed so distant now. From what Kagome could see, Enju was standing before the table, left arm dangling limply at her side while her right hand grasped it tightly. From the back, she looked embarrassed and nervous, if not completely devastated, but Kagome turned her attention away from Enju and towards her core.

Knight was out of her seat, screaming rather violent things at Enju, who in turn said nothing. Katia seemed as though she were adding something in every few words, content to let her rageful friend go for the moment, while Seila was nodding briskly at everything Knight said. Morioka's doll-like face was stained with tear tracks, making her look desolate and tarnished, while the others were sitting silently in their seats. Lea was biting her lip, fingers templed stiffly, while Nana had her hands folded placidly on the table. Mixmatch's strange and tick-like tendencies seemed to have transformed and were now nervous and fidgety. Mae'ora simply stared off into space.

Kagome nearly cried out, startled, when Inuyasha practically appeared in her line of vision, handsome face worried and drawn. "Kagome," he said quietly, sounding as though a simple sound might break her.

Instead of saying something in return, Kagome simple pulled him into a gentle hug, murmuring softly, "I'm fine, Inuyasha. It looks a lot scarier than it is."

Inuyasha said nothing, merely returning his hug by putting his hands on her waist to avoid her injuries; he closed his eyes, burying his face in her hair and taking in her scent. That normally beautiful and pure scent of wildflowers was tainted with blood and grime, not to mention the lingering scent of sex which always seemed to accompany the Vixens and their dealings.

Kagome finally drew away from the hug, cupping his face in her soft hands. Brown eyes met amber as she said confidently, "I love you Inuyasha."

Without a thought, Inuyasha replied with a small smile, "I love you too, Kagome."

"Now I have to do something," Kagome said, face losing all traces of gentleness.

Inuyasha nodded, biting back a sigh as Kagome's hands left his face and she turned, walking tightly towards her Nakama. Her footsteps were strong and commanding, almost that of a brigadier general, and her face was stony, cold. Knight paused in her harsh words as Katia tugged her sleeve and the table turned in unison to face their approaching leader; Enju, however, simply began to shake.

Rin watched intently from where she sat on the couch, observing the straightness in Kagome's injured back and the fire in her stare. After exchanging a glance with Sesshomaru, Rin's suspicions were confirmed; Kagome had definitely undergone a change since that morning.

Kagome came to a stop mere feet behind Enju, completely still and unmoving as her eyes drilled holes in the back of Enju's skull. The voice with which Kagome spoke her next words resonated so loudly through the warehouse that everything inside it seemed to freeze in time. It wasn't the volume, for she talked very quietly, but the sheer power which it held.

"Enju, take a seat. All of us need to have a talk."

The raven-haired girl turned to glance over her shoulder, addressing the other leaders and cores as they sat, watching, in the back. "I need to talk to my core alone, please."

The gang members in the lounge were motionless until Sesshomaru stood and brushed himself off demurely, unpocketing his keys as he walked calmly towards the front of the warehouse. The others followed his example and stood in a rush, gathering their things and holding onto their loved ones as they hurried to exit the warehouse, eager to be free of the tense atmosphere.

Almost as an afterthought, Miroku called out to Kagome, "Can we close the hangar door?"

"Sure," Kagome said quietly, never removing her eyes from her Nakama. "We're going to be a while."

Miroku nodded, face tense, as he and Kouga worked the mechanism near the door; the hangar wall began to close, grinding it's way down its gears and strings until it settled with a boom on the floor, an ominous sound which echoed in the frantic minds of every Wildcat inside. As the feet of their leaders disappeared behind the door, the remaining girls drew in tight breaths; for the first time during her reign, as Kagome stood there, motionless, eyes half hooded and mouth tight, the Wildcats were afraid of their core leader. It was perhaps the right step in the right direction. Gan and Akago settled down quietly in the lounge, observing Kagome and her core intently as they began their meeting.

Kagome began walking forward once more, steps loud and abrasive in the silent warehouse, until her hands were resting on the table's edge. She looked out at her girls, meeting eyes with each and every one of them until she finally came to Enju, who was seated directly at her right. The wolf demon was shaking so badly that she might've fallen over in a dead faint or at least into hysterics, though she did neither. Her amber eyes remained downcast on the table and she never found herself able to meet Kagome's gaze.

"When Rin told me that she was in a gang, I remember what I thought," Kagome began, voice strong but slow. "I thought, 'only weak people need gangs; gangs steal and rape and cause good people problems. Only weak people would do something like that because they're not strong enough to stand alone and be assholes by themselves.' I thought that for about the first week that I was here, that everyone here was weak and pathetic. I'll admit it, I thought Rin was the same. It took a lot of time for me to realize that every person here was strong and resilient by themselves, that they didn't thrive completely on crime like I thought they did. It took even more time for me to realize that needing others doesn't make a person weak, but actually makes them strong. I can't explain in words why that is; you just have to live it and find out. But I finally came to the conclusion that everyone here was loyal, smart and naturally good inside."

Kagome was silent for a moment, staring into the faces of her Nakama members, until she took a deep breath and began once more. "Time and time again, I've watched the other cores sacrificing for each other, sacrificing their pride, their belongings, their bodies. They give and give, never taking, and I always wondered how they could do it so easily without even thinking. I couldn't understand what could make a person want to give so badly that they never asked for anything in return. Not until now, anyway."

This time, Kagome closed her eyes for a moment, as though silently praying, before she opened them quietly and regarded her core with a piercing, soul searching look in her gaze. "I am responsible for all of you. You are mine and I am yours. We're a team, a family, and even after two days, I would give anything for any of you. After the things that have happened I should be hating you right now. I should hate how you judged me without knowing me, but I don't. I should hate how you distrust me without reason, but I don't. I should hate so many things, but I just can't. I don't hate any of you. Not a single one of you. The only thing I hate about this entire situation is the fact that you hate me."

Turning her head slightly, Kagome caught Enju's unsuspecting and fearful eyes in her own. "I hate that you would hate me enough to want me dead."

The wolf demon's mouth opened slightly as her eyes glittered with tears and she just frantically shook her head, looking unable to form any coherent words. Kagome watched her for a moment before returning her eyes to the table. "I'm sorry that you could never love me the way I loved you, but I guess it's just the way it was supposed to be. I'm afraid that this is all that I can give. So, I resign. I wish you all the greatest happiness."

With this, Kagome gave the table a grim nod and began walking solemnly towards the small corner door; in the back of the room, Gan and Akago rose to follow.

The table of Wildcats seemed struck with this news and they exchanged numerous stunned glances while tears spilled down Enju's cheeks. Knight's mouth was agape and her blue eyes wide with hurt as she looked confusedly at Katia, who looked completely numb. Morioka's head was down as she cried quietly, Lea rubbing her back absently as she stewed in her own thoughts, which were muddled at best. Nyx, who had been quietly musing to herself this entire time, blinked her silver eyes blindly as she ran a clawed hand through her blonde and black hair; she hadn't expected this. Sasha and Mixmatch were both fidgeting distractedly, bouncing their legs and twiddling their thumbs as their eyes twitched with anxiousness. Mae'ora was the picture of calmnity, though her blue eyes were thrumming like a turbulent ocean. Seila looked as though she wanted to cry but couldn't remember how. The entire table was silent as Kagome's footsteps grew quieter with the growing distance between them.

"I don't accept your resignation."

All eyes in the room turned to face the speaker, who turned out to be none other than Nana. She had risen from her seat and was standing erect, oil and blood eyes fixed on Kagome's back. The shadow demon placed her hand gently on the back of her chair, staring through her snow white bangs at the girl whom she'd been thought to despise. Kagome blinked and turned, facing Nana with restraint and contentment pure in her face.

Kagome took in a deep breath. "Why not?"

Nana shrugged slightly before replying, "I refuse to serve another."

The two girls met eyes and Kagome caught sight of what she thought might be respect in Nana's strange ones before the shadow demon turned to address the table of confused girls. 

"Never once in her time here did Kikyo ever risk her life for one of us and it wasn't like she didn't have the chance. Half the time, she wasn't even here for us period. I don't know about you, but I will willingly serve a leader who respects us enough to die for us. Who respects us enough to take our shit and never even say a word about it. Kagome-dono has earned my loyalty. What about you?"

When the table remained still and silent, Knight rose to her feet and said clearly, "Kagome is my Kijo."

"And mine," Katia agreed, leopard-marked face smiling as she looked strongly at her leader.

"Mine too," Morioka agreed, nodding her doll face placidly.

Seila stood tall and declared robustly, "I swear my loyalty to Kagome-dono."

Smiling her crafty smile, Nyx Hattori rose from her seat as her silver eyes twinkled curiously. "As do I."

When Mae'ora stood and gave a nod of her silver head, obviously agreeing with the rest of the core, Mixmatch followed suit and Sasha soon after. Lea glanced around the table, seeming genuinely unimpressed with this display of allegiance. Her dog ears twitched like satellites atop her head as she murmured disdainfully, "Risking her life for one person doesn't make her a hero; it makes her in the right place at the right time. I don't follow fledglings."

There was a long silence as the girls exchanged uneasy glances; after Nana's startling pledge, they hadn't expected another to object. Nana was, after all, thought to be the primary objector to Kagome's reign. It wasn't until Enju unfolded herself shakily from her seat, yellow eyes still fresh with tears, that Lea's unshakeable focus on Kagome dwindled.

The wolf demon braced herself thickly on the edge of the table, shaking her head at Morioka's kindly offered hand. Taking in a deep breath, she finally said, "Kagome-dono saved my life, and I'm thankful. But that isn't the part that I'll always remember. I'll always remember that, no matter how bad it looked, Kijo wasn't afraid. Not at all."

There was a long and pregnant silence between the girls, a silence during which Kagome felt her heart beat in sporadic intervals and her blood run rather freezing in her tense veins. All eyes unconsciously turned to Lea, who finally cleared her throat and rose with her head bowed, a motion which caused her golden blonde hair to spill over her shoulders like a waterfall. When she looked up, her sparkling gold gaze caught Kagome's intense brown one.

"I don't follow fledglings...but I don't follow cowards either. We'll see just how much of a veteran you are, Kijo."

Kagome nodded slightly, smiling knowingly in Lea's direction before she dared approach the table a second time, her now standing core members watching her every movement intently. Kagome couldn't seem to stop smiling as she murmured, "Thank you all. Now that we're a family, I guess we'll have to start acting like one, huh?"

There was a bit of chuckling and giggling from her Nakama, along with some sheepish smiles, before Kagome clasped her hands genially. "It's been a long day, so everyone go home and get some sleep; I'll see you here bright and early tomorrow morning."

There was a smattering of clapping as they all gathered their things and began chatting idly, talking about their work or about what troubles they might face the next day. Gan and Akago rose serenely from the lounge area and walked calmly towards Kagome, who gave them a nod before joining them in their journey out the door. The night air was cool and soft on Kagome's heated skin; she suspected that she might be running a bit of a fever from her wounds. Akago unlocked his Ferrari and Gan immediately headed for the passenger's seat before she seemed to think twice.

"You can ride shotgun, Kagome, there's more room," she said.

Kagome smiled slightly, murmuring, "Don't worry about it, Gan, the back is fine," before reshouldering her schoolbag stiffly.

Akago noticed her discomfort and relieved her of the bag, murmuring in a rather stunned voice, "Good lord, Kagome, did you put rocks in here? This weighs a ton!"

Shrugging, the girl blushed slightly as she laughed, "Eh, my history books and my math books weigh a shitload."

Despite Kagome's protests, Gan flipped the front seat forward and piled into the back, which was a good deal less comfortable than the passenger's seat. With everyone's bags carefully situated in the trunk, Akago started the engine and they rolled off into the night, headlights mingling with streetlights as they turned the familiar path towards Rin's mansion.

"It seems you've made some headway," Akago said conversationally, crimson eyes twinkling behind his glasses; Kagome noticed that, when reading or driving, he never failed to wear them.

"I guess so," Kagome muttered in reply, staring amusedly out the window. "I mean, I thought it would take a little more than getting hurt for one of them to make them trust me, but whatever. I'll take what I can get."

"You don't understand what it was like for them under Kikyo," Gan said ruefully from the backseat. "We weren't in the South then, but I still remember; she treated them like drinking buddies and while they liked it to some extent, she wasn't a leader at all. I felt for them, really."

"Kikyo never struck me like that," Kagome confessed, shaking her raven black head. "I thought she was really aloof and eccentric."

"She was," Akago agreed, turning the wheel confidently under his albino white palms. "She was also a whore, a drunkard and a drug addict. Less of the aloof and more of the eccentric."

Kagome sighed and rested her head against the window, careful not to smudge it in any way. She wasn't necessarily surprised to hear this, but it destroyed part of the almost holy image she'd developed for Kikyo in her mind. During all of their epic talks, she'd tried to recreate the woman Kikyo might've been those many months or years ago. Somehow, she always came across a picture something like Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield in her subconscious. Then again, these famous women had died of drug overdose and decapitation, so their lives hadn't exactly worked out in the ideal manner either. Kagome hoped in her heart of hearts that Kikyo was meant for more than an unfortunate death by self-deprecation.

When the car finally stopped in front of Rin's magnificent gates, Kagome snapped out of her daze and murmured, "Press 6-9-7-3."

Akago dialed in the combination on the keypad and the gates swung obligingly open, allowing the Ferrari to maneuver along the path until it pulled around the fountain to the doorstep. Kagome stepped tiredly out of the car and retrieved her things from the back, leaning down and saying brightly, "Thanks for the ride; I'll see you guys in French tomorrow."

As she said this, all three seemed to remember their 3 hours of French homework and they groaned simultaneously. "Oh shit," Kagome murmured, rubbing her forehead.

"So is the life of a senior," Akago sighed. "See you tomorrow Kagome."

With this, Gan switched to the front seat and Akago drove the blue Ferrari down the path and onto the road as the gates closed behind him. Kagome watched until the car had disappeared and blew out a stream of frustrated air before walking inside the magnificent house in which she would never feel at home. The lights were still home, for the maids and waiting staff waited until both girls had entered the house in the evenings before turning out the welcome lights. Kagome was about to make her way up the stairs when the stately butler, Jeeves, came walking sternly in from the kitchen.

"Miss Kagome," he greeted in his reserved voice, bowing slightly.

"Hey Jeeves," Kagome replied easily; she was always quite casual with the man in hopes that he might grow warmer towards her. No luck as of yet, but she continued to try. Jeeves was simply a very formal man.

"Miss Rin has instructed me to tell you that she will be spending the night at Master Sesshomaru's house and that Master Inuyasha asked that you telephone when you arrived."

Sighing a little at Jeeve's normally dull demeanor, Kagome nodded her thanks and began walking rather laboriously up the marble staircase. It took her a good five minutes at the pace she was going and, at one point, she thought she saw Jeeves watching her suspiciously, but he soon disappeared back into the kitchen. Every step twisted Kagome's back uncomfortably because the twin staircases themselves were curved and going up in a straight path was impossible. When Kagome finally made it upstairs, she trudged down to her room and threw her bag down inside the door, staring around at her walls. Rin had insisted that Kagome make the room her own and, the day they'd come back from Race Wars, some of the maids had painted Kagome's room a light pink and put mint green borders around the top. Incredibly thankful, she had then made an honest effort to put up a bulletin board and keep her things clean. The room looked almost lived in, if you really squinted.

As Kagome began taking off her ratty, torn shirt, she realized that Jeeves must've been wondering exactly what had transpired during her first day at school. He'd gotten a clear view of her shirt and probably even her stitches. Figuring that Jeeves might've seen far worse than this in his days as Rin's butler, Kagome simply stripped off her clothing and wriggled her way slowly into a white wife beater and shorts; even as she did her mundane tasks, Kagome's mind was on her Nakama, her homework, her new life. Just when her mind was buzzing with task lists, she happened to catch sight of the bulletin board and she smiled; pictures of her friends covered every inch of it from top to bottom. She smiled as she ran her fingers lightly over the many photographs and memories of the summer past.

Sesshomaru giving Rin a piggyback ride as she laughed over his shoulder.

Sango yelling hotly at Miroku as he merely smiled lovingly in return (Kagome thought this might've been taken before their relationship started, perhaps after a grope.)

Ranbou and Shitora singing something ridiculous as they worked on an engine, both covered in grease.

Ayame and Kouga hugging tightly as they prepared to go home for the day.

Inuyasha grinned wickedly as he flipped off the camera.

With a start, Kagome remembered that she had a phone call to make. Obligingly picking up her new room phone, Kagome dialed the familiar number of the Taisho household and waiting as the rings sounded.

"Hello?"

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked, having recognized the calm voice easily. "Is Inuyasha around?"

"Oh, Kagome," he greeted. "'Around' is a relative word, I have no idea where he is." Kagome could hear Sesshomaru's claws clicking on the receiver as he covered it politely. When he yelled "Yash, phone!" Kagome could still hear ringing in her ears.

Inuyasha's footsteps were rather loud coming down the stairs, Kagome noted, but his voice was gentle when he answered. "Yeah?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Oh, hey baby. How was the meeting?"

Kagome bit her lip, unable to keep from smiling. "It went surprisingly well; I'll tell you the details tomorrow. But, suffice it to say, my core isn't going anywhere anytime soon."

"That's good," Inuyasha replied, sounding proud of her. "I knew you could do it; you just gotta smack em around a little."

Kagome laughed. "Oh yeah, I smacked them around, shot someone in the leg; it was all worth it. They'll be listening to me a little more closely from now on."

Inuyasha laughed slightly and Kagome could dimly make out the sounds of murmured talking in the background. "Who's with you?" she asked.

"Don't worry, no girls that are actually hot," he replied, earning two outraged yells from somewhere in the room.

"Shitora and Rin?" Kagome asked understandingly.

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied, obviously smiling. "Them and Bo and Shomo are all doing homework at the table."

"Ugh, don't say that word; I have three hours of French homework to do and I don't even want to think about it."

"Hah. I already finished mine; I just had English reading."

"Did you do our math homework, Inuyasha?"

"Uh...we had math homework?"

"Yes, like an hour's worth. I'm pretty sure it's review from last year, but I don't really remember; I wasn't exactly a Pre-cal genius at my old school."

Inuyasha snorted. "It sounds like you were pretty much a genius everything."

Kagome walked casually into her bathroom, looking around for her face cloth. "Hardy har ha-ow!" As she searched for the cloth, Kagome twisted to the side, forgetting about her back, and hissed with pain. She managed to grab on to the marble counter top and she gripped the edge with her hands, trying to ride out the waves of pain as her nails pressed painfully against the stone.

"Kagome? Are you okay?" Inuyasha worried voice came through the phone.

When the searing hurting had finally reduced to a dull throbbing, Kagome replied shakily, "Yeah, I just twisted my back funny, nothing serious. Dammit, I'm never gonna get to sleep at this rate; I turn over, like, constantly in my sleep."

"Oh no, you are not ripping out all your stitches, no way!" Inuyasha said heatedly, barring his teeth despite the fact that Kagome couldn't see him.

"Believe me, dog-boy, that's the last thing I want to do," Kagome insisted, smiling slightly besides the aching which still covered her muscles and bones.

"I bet," Inuyasha growled, "But that's that; I don't want you turnin' over in yer sleep and hurting yerself. Come over, stay the night here."

"Inuyasha, I've got homew-"

"And I don't? Besides, all your little French buddies are over here anyway; I'm not gonna pin you up against the refrigerator and ravish you, you know."

"Oh, thank you, that's very reassuring."

"Kagome, please."

The girl sighed and twisted the phone cord idly around her finger, angling her brown eyes dismally up at the bathroom ceiling; it was rare that Inuyasha said "please," and dishonoring one of these rare occurrences just didn't seem right. Finally, after deciding that it couldn't hurt anything any worse, she agreed, "Yeah, alright. I'll go downstairs and get the Triumph started."

"The Triumph? Oh no. You stay put, I'll come get you; yer not drivin' the Triumph anymore. I'll be there in five."

And with this, Inuyasha hung-up the phone before Kagome could even utter a word in protest. The girl sighed heavily and rubbed at her eyes; they always burned when her day had been long and arduous. Frankly, she couldn't remember a longer or more arduous day in all her life, except for maybe the day of the battle. She shuffled into her room and pulled together her books, dumping them in her backpack before she added a clean uniform for the morning; it was at this precise moment that she realized what she'd agreed to.

Kagome's eyes went wide; oh no. She'd agreed to spend the night in Inuyasha's house, with Inuyasha _in his bed..._Okay, she hadn't promised anything bed-wise, but it was practically implied; Inuyasha wanted to keep her from rolling over and twisting her stitches out, right? So, he wanted to be with her in the bed. Okay. Well...did that mean sex? Surely not, since he'd made that comment about not ravishing her against the refrigerator. But...this was still bad, wasn't it? So...why was she kind of excited?

Gathering her things distractedly, Kagome turned off her lights and walked carefully down the stairs, clinging madly to the banister as she approached the glittering ground floor. While the second floor was more lived in, the first floor was all glamour and glitz due to Mr. Takeyama's rather frequent winter parties. Kagome's footsteps, clad in old sandals, clapped noisily on the marble and she frowned; she felt so out of place here, even after three months.

"Going somewhere, Miss Kagome?"

At the sound of Jeeves's dry voice, Kagome whipped around and spotted the man standing sternly in the entrance to the kitchen. He raised his slender white eyebrow questioningly and seemed to expect a justified response.

"Well, yes, as of five minutes ago. I'm going to the Taishos' house," Kagome explained, trying to steer attention away from the meat of the subject by settling for "Taisho" rather than "Inuyasha."

"I see," Jeeves replied in clipped tone. "Well, the house maids have been informed of your injury and are currently gathering together the necessary medicines to aid in your recovery. Would you like us to gather together an overnight kit so that you can avoid pain in the morning?"

Kagome bit her lip; so Jeeves had noticed her back after all. She fingered her bag strap lightly as she replied in a guilty tone, "Um...sure, that would be great. Thanks a lot."

"Yes, Miss," Jeeves replied, voice full of stiffness and starch.

As he turned to retrieve the package of medicines from the kitchen, Kagome winced slightly, though not out of physical pain. She felt rather guilty for darting inside and then leaving almost immediately, especially when they'd been making her medicine in the kitchen this whole time. It was then that the doorbell rang and Kagome sighed, opening it to reveal Inuyasha standing boredly on the doorstep, his Lamborghini at the curb of the steps. He was wearing a simply white t-shirt and sweatpants, more casual than Kagome had ever seen him; she rather liked it.

"Hey," he murmured, smiling in the way only Kagome seemed to inspire. His amber eyes sparkled as he leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Kagome felt that familiar warmth spread through her as she settled into his presence; he always made her feel safe and somehow at home. "Hey; Jeeves is getting me medicine from the kitchen, then we can go."

Inuyasha nodded slightly, concealing a scowl as he remembered the butler with whom he'd gotten into many fights as a child. When he would tag along with Sesshomaru, Inuyasha always ended up somehow making a mess in the Takeyama household, be it overturned vase or fishing from the private pond outside. Jeeves had no trouble dropping his stiff demeanor to scold Inuyasha, who he disliked intensely. Come to think of it, Inuyasha wasn't sure that the old man was informed about his current dating situation with Kagome.

"Ah...Master Inuyasha. What a pleasure," came a familiar drawl, though this time with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

Jeeves came marching in from the kitchen with a white paper bag in hand, which he gave officiously to Kagome. The girl clutched the bag tightly, nodding a thank you, as she watched the look passing between the two men.

Inuyasha grinned garrulously, giving Jeeves a bold punch to the arm. "Hey, Jeeves, how ya doin?"

Jeeves ruffled visibly at the brotherly hit and massaged his shoulder tersely. "Oh, fabulous Master. Might I inquire as to what you're doing in the entrance hall?"

"Picking up my _girlfriend, _old man," Inuyasha replied triumphantly, grinning as he wrapped his arm protectively around Kagome's waist, careful of her wounds.

Jeeves pursed his lips and gave Kagome a slightly disapproving glance before he muttered. "Very good, sir. Miss Kagome, might I suggest considering a day off tomorrow, in light of your injuries?"

Kagome was about to open her mouth to protest when Inuyasha merely said, "Don't worry, old man, she won't be going anywhere but bed tomorrow. Later, homes."

With this, Inuyasha pulled Kagome gently yet rather insistently out the door, taking her bag and medicine graciously for her as he slammed the expensive door behind him. Jeeves frowned and rolled his eyes to the ceiling; perhaps his father was right. He should've been a weather forecaster.

9191919

Kagome shifted uneasily against the back of her chair, which wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, but nevertheless painful. Though her eyes were focused on her French book and her ears were trained on Sesshomaru as he trained to explain something about question 13, the rest of her was completely preoccupied with the now insistent hurting in her back. Wherein the wounds hadn't hurt much after Gan's stitching, the numbness of the antiseptic had begun to wear off and she was now feeling the effects of her injuries.

"...so theoretically, we should be using the subjunctive," Sesshomaru concluded, peering down at his work through his spectacles.

Ranbou squinted confusedly and shrugged his tan shoulders. "Yeah, but it's a command, ain't it? So shouldn't it be imperative?"

Currently, Rin, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Ranbou, Shitora and Kagome were sitting around the Taisho family table in the kitchen, scratching their heads over homework and sipping on Kaede's home made lemonade. Kaede was standing at the counter nearby, preparing pancake batter for the morning while listening to her surrogate children studying. It had become a standard rule in the Taisho household that, while Kaede was learned in every subject, asking her for help on assignments was a last resort. Not until the Taisho children had endured several hours of agonizing struggle did they ask after Kaede for her help. From where she was stirring the batter inconspicuously, the elderly woman was observing the table of teenagers with interest.

Sesshomaru, forever stoic, was discussing question 13 with Ranbou, adjusting his spectacles ever so often in a nervous habit. He looked rather dwarfed by his white wife beater and sweatpants, which now made his skinny body seemed incredibly small. Kaede was worried about her eldest boy, but she knew it would take Sesshomaru overcoming a guilt within himself before he could ever eat the same way again.

Beside Sesshomaru, Rin was contentedly writing her English essay, running her left hand absently through Sesshomaru's glossy silver ponytail. She looked happy and almost matronly as she sat there, dressed in one of Sesshomaru's old dress shirts with her hair in a messy bun; Kaede had always surmised Rin would make an excellent mother, what with the way she cared unequivocally for everyone. The girl had become like Kaede's daughter during her nearly constant stay in the Taisho house. It was a well known fact that Sesshomaru and Rin were always true to one another and Kaede knew that they would one day marry; it was only a matter of time.

Shitora and Ranbou, who were sitting with their backs to the housekeeper, were working diligently on French with Sesshomaru and Kagome, writing down the many answers to what Kaede considered to be an inappropriate amount of homework. Since Ranbou was left handed and Shitora right handed, they were able to hold hands while they slaved away and they'd been doing so for the past hour or so. Kaede would occasionally see Ranbou's thumb move of the back of Shitora's hand, as though reassuring her when she got tetchy about her work. Though the others had been surprised when the two started dating, Kaede had seen it coming since they were wee children. As they sat there in wife beaters and sweatpants or, in Shitora's case, shortie shorts, they looked more comfortable and casual than couples twice their age.

Inuyasha was doing his math homework boredly, scratching his nose periodically as his ears twitched like satellites. His golden eyes were still large and emotional like they had been as a child, though Kaede had noticed a marked improvement in Inuyasha's normally terrible temper as of late. While his hand wrote instinctively, Inuyasha gave a sideways glance in Kagome's direction, as though to make sure she was alright, before continuing with his work.

As far as Kagome went, Kaede could put a single word to her current state: pained. For the past hour or so, Kaede had been watching Kagome shift in her chair while trying to focus on the myriad of papers before her and it was becoming increasingly difficult for the girl. Every minute or so, Kagome would wince lightly with pain and alter her position before trying to wipe the distraught look from her pretty features; Kaede was trying to hide a smile at the girl's resilience but finding it increasingly difficult.

"No, the first verb is imperative but the second one is subjunctive," Shitora was saying, shaking her white head. "What do you think, Kags?"

Kagome didn't look up for a moment before she finally recognized the sound of her name. "Hm? Oh, uh...indicative." She shifted in her chair once more, arching her back and rolling her shoulders.

Ranbou and Shitora let out sounds of understanding while Sesshomaru merely nodded. "You could be right Kagome," he murmured.

Rin furrowed her brow cutely before she looked up, asking, "What's another word for 'returned?' Like, as in love or something? It's on the tip of my tongue, but..."

"Requited, Koi," Sesshomaru replied demurely, smiling at his girlfriend as she beamed thankfully back at him.

"Right, requited. Thanks, Sesshy," she said brightly.

"I should be getting to my History homework," Shitora mumbled, putting down her pencil and rubbing her eyes with her closed fist fretfully.

Ranbou smiled slightly and leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "Yeah, go ahead. You can copy some of my French, eh?"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Kaede said with a sigh from the kitchen. She glanced up and gave Ranbou a warning eye before concealing a smile and returning to her batter mixing.

Kaede allowed her eye to stray momentarily to Kagome and she frowned; the girl was looking slightly flushed in the face, if not feverish. Judging by the increasing frequency with which she winced, the pain from her wounds was increasing. When Kagome accidentally dropped her pencil and shook her head as though to clear it, Kaede decided it was time to interfere.

"Kagome, I think ye should be gettin' to bed," the woman said kindly, looking honestly at Kagome through her one uncovered eye.

The entire table looked up at the sound of this comment and Inuyasha furrowed his brow before turning to his girlfriend. "You alright, baby?"

Kagome looked torn, as though she wanted to desperately take a rest but didn't want to share her pain with the quizzical teens at the table. As they fixed her with concerned gazed, Kagome blushed even more and murmured, "I'm fine."

"Seeing as though ye won't be going to school tomorrow, I think a rest would be precisely what ye need," Kaede reasoned, not at all put off by Kagome's desire to remain secret.

After a brief silence, Kagome sighed and nodded. "I guess that's a good idea."

She attempted to stand, gripping the edge of the table to steady herself, but she soon grimaced and nearly fell; Inuyasha grabbed her by the arms quickly and frowned. Aiming a glance up at Kaede, the boy said seriously, "Yeah, I think that's a good idea too."

Ignoring his not-quite-finished math homework, Inuyasha quickly coaxed Kagome onto his back for a piggy-back ride up the stairs. "I'm gonna help her out, so I'll finish that shit in the morning. Night everybody."

The other murmured goodnights, after offering to help but being graciously turned away, and reluctantly continuing their work. Rin watched uneasily as Inuyasha carried her cousin upstairs, but Sesshomaru soon began to rub soothing circles on her lower back. Rin smiled thankfully at him before returning to her work, knowing that Inuyasha would stay with Kagome through the night without fail; it was simply a Taisho mechanism, after all. Dogs were loyal to a fault and the Taishos were no different.

As they disappeared up the stairs, Rin turned to Shitora and asked happily, "So, how was the dance meeting?"

Shitora shrugged and smirked rather rudely. "Fine; I'm still on top, even if there are two of us. I'm like the leader."

Sesshomaru glanced upwards through his spectacles, asking boredly, "Aren't the dance captains supposed to be equals?"

When Shitora just smiled mysteriously, Rin and Sesshomaru simply shrugged before returning to their work. Ranbou, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel suspicious; he knew Shitora tended to get a little competitive, so he hesitated to wonder what exactly she was doing to her fellow captain. It might be better if he didn't know anyway.

9191919

Mizumi sat dejectedly on the couch, crimson eyes staring at the grungy floor of her almost barren apartment. Every once and a while, she would reach up her slender hand to massage the bruises on her shoulders; Shitora gripped hard when she was trying to get her point across. _I don't care if she made you captain, this is my block, got it? _Mizumi winced at the memory and drew up her legs to her chest, hugging them close as she realized that her legs were her ticket to a job, to life. _You step out of line, you upstage me, I break your feet. _The dragon demon shuddered and shook her green head fretfully; would Shitora really go through with her threats? 

"Eat somethin'."

At the sound of her brother's voice, Mizumi glanced up from the couch into the kitchen, where Ryuukoytsusei had been stirring some vegetables and beef in a pan on the stove. It was a simple meal, good for the body, but Mizumi couldn't think of anything she'd willingly eat at that moment; the thought of food made her ill.

"No thanks," she mumbled, rubbing one of her crimson eyes with her closed fist. "I'm not hungry."

Ryuu glanced over the bar at his sister, who had been quiet since her meeting with Shitora and the dance instructor. She was curled up on the couch in her overlarge sweater and shorts, nursing her injured pride and body. Ryuu wasn't sure what was going on in that dance class, but he was becoming increasingly suspicious of it. Narrowing his crimson eyes, the burly man spooned some vegetable and beef into a noodle bowl before setting it pointedly on the counter.

"Nice try, I don't buy it. Eat," he ordered again.

Mizumi wrinkled her little nose cutely before shaking her head. "Really, I'm not hungry."

Ryuu paused for a moment before he reached forward and withdrew the offered bowl, setting it next to the stove and turning off the burner. He set the used pan in the sink before taking his own bowl of food in hand and crossing into the living room. Mizumi bobbed slightly as her brother took a seat beside her and put his bare feet up on the table.

"I'm eating," he said simply.

Mizumi nodded and smiled faintly. "Well, you're always hungry, so that's good for you."

In reply, Ryuu reached up and cuffed her lightly on the cheek, causing Mizumi to giggle; Ryuu hid whatever smile he might've wore into his vegetables and beef. There was a brief silence between the brother and sister before Mizumi twisted her entire body around, landing so that she was facing Ryuu's haughty profile.

"What do you think of Shitora Taisho?"

The larger dragon froze, chopsticks halfway to his mouth, full of beef and vegetables. His eyes, unfocused, landed on a stray thread in the carpet as he remembered saving the girl in question two, or maybe three, times. The parting of her lips, the fire in her golden eyes, so shimmering and magnificent, like the colors of the sunset on ocean waters. The rippling of her hair, the spice of her scent...it was all so potent in Ryuukoytsusei's mind. Beautiful; that was a word to describe her.

"I don't know," he replied nonetheless, managing to get the vegetables and beef into his mouth without further incident.

Mizumi had seen his pause however and furrowed her emerald green brow. "Do you, like, talk to her a lot?"

"Fuck no," Ryuu replied disdainfully, rolling his crimson eyes. "Talk to Taisho's sister? I'd rather get a lobotomy."

The small girl watched him carefully, noting the sparkle in his eyes and the uncertainty in the movement of his hands, before she pressed, "Is she...violent? Like, does she hurt people?"

"I've seen her do enough damage, yeah," Ryuu replied, squinting sideways as though he were growing suspicious. "Why do you care?"

"I don't," Mizumi said flippantly, shrugging her thing shoulders. "I was just wondering." There was a brief silence between the two before Mizumi began to bite her lip anxiously; she had another question. "Hey, Ryuu? I've kinda been meaning to ask this for a while, but...you know..."

Ryuukoytsusei glanced at his sister, who looked three years younger than he knew her to be; she looked practically pre-school age when she bit her lip like that. Finally, he realized that she wouldn't continue without a reassuring word. "Yeah?"

Mizumi took a deep breath and blurted out, "Why don't you like all the people in the other gangs?"

After a momentary silence, Ryuu asked blankly, "Who?"

"Like...I dunno, like the Taishos. The people in the gangs that aren't the Dragons or the Vixens."

It took Ryuu a moment to realize that Mizumi meant the South. Drawing in a sharp breath, he narrowed his eyes and rose abruptly from the couch; just the thought of them made his blood boil. He practically threw down his dirty bowl in the sink as he wiped his hands rather clippedly on a nearby towel. Mizumi watched her brother nervously, nails digging into the couch; she hadn't meant to make him angry, but just about anything set off his temper these days.

"Don't talk to them. Ever," Ryuu growled, turning only to point at Mizumi with his great clawed hand before the fuming Dragon turned to exit into his room.

"Why not?" Mizumi called after him, standing rather boldly from the couch. Something about his insistent coddling made her angry.

Ryuu shook visibly as he turned in a stiff sort of way. "Because I said so."

"I'm not six and your not my dad, so that answer doesn't work," Mizumi protested, taking several daring steps forward. She set her little chin determinedly and crossed her arms. "Why can't I talk to them?"

Ryuukoytsusei seemed to pause for a moment, as though he were trying to decide whether to hit her or ponder her question; finally, he murmured angrily, "They're scum, they're killers, and you can't talk to them."

The look on Mizumi's face was pinched and angry, her pretty little face contorted with dislike and near hatred. Her crimson eyes bled a rather dark burgundy as she mumbled, "So are you."

Brother and sister stared unfazedly at one another, fists clenched and teeth gritted inside tight lips. A strange attitude came over Ryuukoytsusei, causing his shoulders to shake and his eyes to burn. Mizumi wanted to take a step backwards, though she knew it would only lead to trouble; she couldn't lose her face, especially in front of her brother. After being dumped on his doorstep and called weak by her father in front of him, she couldn't possibly prove it all true. Mizumi Tousen was not weak and she would willingly stand down a furious Ryuukoytsusei just to prove it.

"I am _nothing _like them!" Ryuu screamed, voice inflected with the slightest hint of a dragon's call; it made it harsh and grating, causing Mizumi to wince slightly.

Without warning, Ryuu's fist tensed and Mizumi thought, if only for a moment, that he was going to strike her; at the last moment, Ryuu roared and redirected his enraged hit towards the nearest thing to him. The wall.

As the dragon's fist hit the wall, it penetrated and shattered the plaster and wood with startling force; dust erupted in a cloud as broken parts of wall fell to the carpeted floor. Mizumi shied away from the shrapnel as Ryuu disappeared in a tunnel of brown powder. When the noise had died and the smoke had cleared, Mizumi opened her eyes to find Ryuu still poised in punching position, arm almost all the way through the wall and eyes simmering with orange wrath.

Ryuu stared at the damage he'd inflicted, face unreadable, before he straightened up and pulled his hand back through the head sized hole he'd created. He stared at it with a new found calmnity.

"It's not that bad," Mizumi said finally, shrugging her small shoulders.

Without warning, a crack began spreading down from the hole until it hit the bottom of the floor and, as if on cue, the wall began to crumble piece by piece, bringing with it another cloud and deafening sound. Ryuu and Mizumi both shielded themselves, blinking against the dirt and dust; the hole widened considerably and more plaster collided with the already growing piles on the floor.

When Ryuu and Mizumi opened their eyes, a hole about the size of a card table was staring them in the face, large and gaping, beginning about two feet above the floor and ending one foot shy of the ceiling. Mizumi gaped at the hole while Ryuu seemed to simply wince to himself; his landlord wasn't going to like this. At least no one lived next door.

"Um...hello?"

Or at least he hadn't thought so.

Ryuu blinked his crimson eyes confusedly and exchanged glances with Mizumi, who had by this time crept up beside him; both squinted their eyes through the slightly foggy dust cloud, wondering who'd spoken on the other side of the broken wall.

As if in answer, a pair of sky blue eyes appeared in the haze, looking quite confused; a recognizably pretty face and sheets of white blonde hair followed soon after, making the newcomer's identity surprisingly obvious. Mizumi stared through the hole, almost unable to register the sight before her.

"Shale? Are you our...neighbor?"

9191919

**As M. Night Shyamalan would say, what a twist! Watch Robot Chicken to understand that beloved reference. Sorry it's been so long with this chapter; I started school and between my 4 APs, the Improv Troupe, major roles in the play and musical, boxing, college apps and 3 hour long piano practices, I've been a **_**little **_**busy. It's calming down now that I'm getting into the swing of everything, but it was hectic for a while; ya'll know how it is, so I don't have to tell you. But updates might be a little more regular now. A little. This chapter was long, though. Compensation, anyone?**

**KOLU**


	6. Butoh

**Just a small note today; it's a serious chapter. I should let you guys know that this chapter is very somber and perhaps even an allegory for events that occur in America; I'm not passing political judgment, but maybe reflecting on violent events in our recent history. This chapter will determine the entire future of this series; it's a big deal. Love ya.**

_Butoh: a Japanese dance of grotesquerie, embodied by the historical hatred of taboo._

9191919

There was no sound but the distant buzz of the television. The only light derived from the screen, a light blue which flooded Miroku's bedroom and cast horrible shadows on two blank faces. The motion within the room was limited to the occasional clench of a fist or the desperate grasping of a hand. There were so many thoughts, and yet so few; it was hard to know whether to think or to simply absorb.

Miroku was trying to remember an event in his life that might've been worse than the scene he was witnessing now on his television. His mind, in a tangle, kept drifting back to the death of his mother, then to the war that summer, but none of it even seemed comparable; where those things had only effected a few people, this event was going to impact the entire country, maybe the world.

Sango felt foolish and small as she perched on the edge of the bed in one of Miroku's old dress shirts, legs folded gently beneath her. As she watched the faces passing in frantic blurs across the screen, she thought of her friends and how this would impact their lives. She thought of her mother, her boyfriend, her friends, and she wondered why all of them had to face this when each of them was beautiful to her anyway. She wondered if her dearest companions were now in danger.

"No school."

Sango glanced at Miroku, who had broken their silence for the first time. His violet eyes were half hooded and his lips drawn tight, making him seem twenty years older than his actual age of 18.

"What?"

"No school; look at the bottom of the screen, it says a bunch of schools are out today. It's probably too dangerous for demons right now."

Sango stared blankly down at her lap, wondering if she was going to cry; she wasn't sure if she could muster the tears and simultaneously uncertain that she could stop them. Miroku held her hand tightly as she laid her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes softly as she wished the television would stop its muted crackling.

"We should call Skull."

9191919

Sesshomaru sat cross-legged on the couch in front of his television, watching the banners as they flashed hotly across the screen. Sesshomaru's gaunt face was placid and of the utmost normality, as though he couldn't even see through his dull amber eyes at all. He looked small there, a skeletal man with a silver braid in sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt; even in the summer he was cold now.

The phone beside him rang abrasively, shattering the silent air he'd so carelessly created. Wondering if this noise would finally wake his brother and sister, Sesshomaru allowed the phone to ring for a few moments before he picked it up in his bony hand.

"Taisho."

"Sesshomaru? It's me."

Looking quite unsurprised, Sesshomaru continued staring at the television as though it held answers to his many questions. "Akago. I suppose you're watching the news."

"Yes. What do you suggest as our course of action?"

The leader was quiet, like a still pond in winter; his pale face reflected the very snow on mountain ground as thoughts began to infiltrate his nimble mind. He finally grew tired of his own indecisiveness and his chaotic thought seemed to pause as he said quietly, "I don't know."

The phone was quiet as Akago mustered up a response. Eventually he murmured, "I was hoping you would know, since I don't. Should we call a meeting? You know this whole incident is going to incite riots all over Kyoto and those will eventually spread here; any human who's ever harbored ideas of human supremacy is going to jump at the chance to cause some damage while the law enforcement is occupied."

"We're a target right now," Sesshomaru replied quietly. "We'll be fodder for angry humans if we get the entire South together, it's too big of a group; we'll have to communicate some other way."

"School's been called off."

"The administration is probably aware that since our school is the most integrated in the city, it's going to be a hot spot for terrorism." A pair of weary footsteps on the stairs caught Sesshomaru's ear. "It sounds like my brother is up; I'll call you when I develop an actual plan."

"Alright; I should wake Gan, at any rate. She'll want to know about this."

Sesshomaru set the phone down gently in its cradle as Inuyasha came up behind the couch, bracing his hands on the back of it as he squinted sleepily at the television. Blinking, he managed to make out the numbers denoting the time in the right hand corner of the screen. "7:45? Didn't we have work this morning?"

"It's too dangerous to go out right now. We don't have school this morning, anyway."

Inuyasha blinked his wide amber eyes, looking confused. "Say what? Why would it be dangerous out?"

"There's been an accident."

Inuyasha allowed his poor dog vision to focus on the television a littler longer, giving in to that natural desire to see something brutal; his eyes were rewarded as several EMT's wheeling a gurney hurried out of an expensive looking lobby, followed by a steady stream of more wounded. The hanyou watched in confusion as the banners along the bottom of the screen began to make sense.

"What happened?" he asked, nonetheless.

Sesshomaru glanced over at his brother as he took a seat beside him on the couch, silver hair still pulled back in a rumpled ponytail as he rubbed his eyes like a small child. The elder brother almost fell bad telling Inuyasha the truth.

"This morning a human with an elephant rifle opened fire on demon businessmen in Madozu Towers in Kyoto. Forty-two dead right now, but the numbers are climbing. The city is in an uproar."

The hanyou seemed unable to compute the news for a moment. Finally he said, "Only demons? He only shot demons?"

"They say he aimed for them. Like he was hunting."

The two brothers sat in silence, watching the blood and flashes of white as the action flurried across the screen in confusing blurs. The television light danced across their faces, Sesshomaru's blank and Inuyasha's painfully stunned; when Shitora crept down the stairs and took a seat between them, they said nothing and only continued to watch the tragedy floating into their living room.

Shitora looked at the screen for an entire minute without blinking; eventually she hesitated a look at her eldest brother, asking quietly, "How many demons died?"

"42. For now."

And together the siblings sat in silence, staring straight ahead at the flashing screen; there was no movement in the Taisho living room, nary even the sound of a breath across the tense air. Only after ten minutes of silence did anyone voice the question.

"Why did he do it?"

9191919

Fennella had been roused at 7:45 by her cousin and hurried down to the ground floor of the Macharyas mansion in a flurry of movement. Her morning had been, in a word, blurry; she could barely remember what had transpired in the past thirty minutes and, frankly, didn't care to. It all involved being shoved into decent clothes by her maids and then passed down to her father's office, whereupon her father had swept her into the backseat of the Macharyas family limousine with nary a word. She'd managed to gather the fringe details of Madozu towers from the cook before she was whisked away on a mysterious journey.

Fenn turned to look at her father, who was staring straight ahead like a figurine. Raion was an enormous man, well past 6 feet and often mistaken for a professional football player. His hair was long, thick and golden red, just like his wife's had been; Raion's yellow cat eyes caught every detail of his surroundings without fail.

Bored by the silence, Fennella began staring out the limousine's back window, fingers tapping distantly on the sill as she readjusted her legs; after a few minutes of nervousness, she decided to sit Indian style to keep her body still. She'd given up drilling her father for answers, seeing as though Raion Macharyas didn't say anything incriminating until he'd decided to, and was now trying to work over the events of the morning in her mind. Madozu towers; who would've thought?

"Your brother's flight is arriving in thirty minutes. Fennella, please be discreet in the airport; we're trying not to draw too much attention to ourselves during this time of...prejudice."

Fennella wrenched her head around, green eyes wide and hopeful. "Ly? Lysander is coming home?"

"Yes. Your brother is no longer, in my estimation, safe in Kyoto," Raion continued, glancing down at his magnificent claws. "He's been away at this ridiculous art institute long enough, in any case. It's time he buckled down on his studies."

Fennella barely heard her father's mumblings, as she'd begun to bounce excitedly in her seat. When she let out a happy laugh, Raion smiled despite himself; Fennella hadn't seen her twin since last April, he remembered. It stood to reason that she would be excited about his homecoming...yet Raion was afraid his son's arrival might spark a few questions in his daughter's mind. Questions which Raion was not ready to answer.

"Ran's gonna be excited," Fennella chirped, looking as though she could positively glow. "He and Ly talk on the phone sometimes, but I bet they miss each other."

"Ah yes," Raion said wryly, rolling his feline eyes. "Ranbou Ookami will now be frequenting my house again. Maybe I'll just send your brother somewhere else...like Zanzibar."

Fennella laughed. "Do you remember some of the crazy shit they used to do? Like when they put a cherry bomb in the pool?"

Raion sniffed in reply, "I'd rather not think about it; I can only hope they've both grown up enough that my pool will remain intact."

Despite this comment, Fennella only continued to smile and looked brightly out the window, observing the passing cityscape with a new pair of eyes. Raion sighed but smiled as well, shaking his great orange head slowly; perhaps he should've brought Lysander home earlier, yet he hadn't known exactly what to do with his son. Not after the death of his wife.

Narita Airport was, as Raion had expected, packed; demons were taking frantic flights out of Kyoto before the airports could shut down, which he expected them to do in the next hour. Fennella watched the people spilling over the sidewalks and yelling across the crowds, trying to bust their way inside to meet friends and relatives as they entered from the gates. The limousine moved slowly through the mob, it's thick windows and walls only dulling the great noise ever so slightly; Raion watched the goings on with a sophisticated gaze, keeping one eye on Fennella at all times.

The driver pulled the long car around the fence towards the private air strip, where the crowd was significantly smaller; a few well dressed businessmen were lingering near a sparkling black Jaguar, obviously awaiting the arrival of their fearsome leader. When the limousine parked and Raion stepped out into the September sun, the men immediately hurried towards him, whispering new information in hushed voices.

Fennella stepped out as well, brushing off her simple black skirt before shielding her eyes out on the horizon. The airport smelled of gasoline and tar, the sound of motors thick on the air; she could barely tell one thing from the other, nevertheless see against the bright morning sun.

One of her father's workers, a relatively young man with broad shoulders, approached her in his strict black suit. "Miss Macharyas," he greeted formally.

"Rocky," she replied, smiling in an over bright manner; since the day she'd met this young man, she'd tried to embarrass him with her cheerfulness. Most of the time, it worked.

"Your father sent me to tell you to tuck in your blouse," Rocky barked; he was, in every way, a soldier.

Fennella stared down at her silken white shirt tails, shrugging boredly. "Why?"

"Because he said so."

"Did he tell you to say 'because he said so'?"

"He told me not to answer that."

Fennella rolled her eyes and tucked in her shirt tails with an exasperated out stream of air. Fennella's red curls swung slightly in the wind, falling over her eyes every few wind bursts and causing her minor discomfort; now that she knew her brother was coming, she couldn't seem to keep herself still.

"Fennella." Raion approached with his usual stiffness, hands clasped behind his back. "There is no school today but I have business and don't want you and your brother alone in the house. I'll be dropping you off at the Ookami house; tell Kibishii thank you for me."

Fennella raised her eyebrows. "I thought Mr. Ookami was never home anymore with the mafia and stuff."

"Well, that won't be the case for long; he's getting out, I hear," Raion replied; his eyes had yet to leave the horizon.

"I thought you couldn't really just get out like that."

"With connections like Kibishii's, anything's possible. There's your brother's plane."

Fennella followed her father's eyes, watching as a small jet plane began descending to taxi on the runway. It came in low and fast, taking a flawless landing on the strip and kicking up a whole manner of things as it sped along the concrete; as the white plane began to slow, one could make out the word "Macharyas" written on the fin. The roar of the engines caused Fennella to cover her sensitive demon ears, though her father looked unperturbed. The propellers began to slow and eventually came to a stop, leaving a surprising vacuum of sound in their wake. Fennella watched as the jet door opened and the pilot stepped out, waving his hand to Raion, who waved in return. Following at the pilots heels was the one and only Lysander Macharyas.

Lysander stepped into the full sunlight and grinned in a typical Macharyas fashion, fangs gleaming rather eerily. It was strange to watch him for, indeed, he and Fennella were nearly identical. Their faces were like carbon copies of each other, if not for the square quality of Lysander's chin and the stubble on his jaw. Lysander's red hair swept against his shoulders in thick tufts, giving him an unkempt but handsome appeal; he had little of his father's seriousness, after all. Fennella could see that her brother had finally become a man in body as well as mind; his shoulders were the typical Macharyas broad length and his arms were like two great barrels, quite like Raion's.

In the way he carried himself, Lysander was simply kind and generous; he loved all things and wanted nothing but to do good amongst evil men. Ranbou had once said of his lifelong best friend, "Ly could make nice with a rock if you gave him five minutes." Fennella watched her brother with a sort of envy in his ripped jeans and wife beater, neck littered with an assortment of shell and claw necklaces. He was a healthy tan, whereas she was about to enter the pale Tokyo winter season. Smirking lopsidedly, Fennella realized that their time apart might've changed their dynamic.

"Hey, imouto! Just as pretty as when I left!" Lysander exclaimed, voice deep and gravelly; it was strange to see the sound exiting through Lysander's mouth.

Fennella smiled and jogged towards her brother, laughing as he wrapped her in a tight hug and growled, lifting her feet off the ground. Raion watched his reunited children from a distance, smiling faintly.

"He's changed even from the summer," Rocky murmured to his master.

Raion nodded, cat eyes narrowed in thought. "It's like looking at my wife...twice over."

"Yes sir," Rocky said; he couldn't think of anything else to say.

Fennella had yet to let go of Lysander, who was beginning to understand that her prolonged hug might mean more than he'd first reckoned. "Everything okay, cub?"

"I'm not a cub anymore," Fennella mumbled into Lysander's shoulder, shutting her eyes tightly. "I'm just glad your home."

"Me too," Lysander replied, grinning in his boyish way. "Music school was great, but I just want to get back to work."

Fennella removed her face from her brother's chest, looking up at him with glassy green eyes. "Are you gonna...get back in?"

"Like I could say no to Ran. You know he's gonna give me that face and then I'm just gonna get guilty..." Lysander trailed off, trying to look irritated but smiling anyway.

"Yeah, well...they need you. Some stuff went down this summer and I hear Ranbou is out killing every night to clean up after this mess," Fennella said seriously, grabbing one of her brother's bags as they began walking back towards the limousine.

Lysander frowned but said nothing. As they approached the car, Raion nodded to his son, who nodded cheerily in return; there was no hugging involved, as Raion Macharyas didn't hug, but it was all understood. Rocky took Lysander's things with a gruff nod and loaded them in the trunk before the driver was given the nod and the car pulled out towards the Macharyas mansion.

The car ride was silent, Fennella and Lysander sitting close together across from their father, before Raion said in a business-like manner, "Lysander, as I told your sister, my associates and I have some business to take care of this morning and most likely all afternoon. Therefore, with the maids given the day off to tend to their families, you would be alone in the house and I don't want that right now. I'll be dropping you at the Ookami house and you'll spend the day with Kibishii and the kids. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir," Lysander said, already smiling again; it looked as though he'd be seeing Ranbou sooner than he'd thought.

The streets were eerily deserted, save the numerous policemen patrolling the sidewalks and alleys. Raion simply sat reading the Economist as Fenn and Lysander stared out the windows, trying to make out the goings on even though there were none. The ride from the airport to the Ookami house was short and silent, leaving the twins with bitter tastes in their mouth as they stepped out of the limousine onto the scrubby curb.

"Be respectful," Raion said shortly before nodding for Lysander to close the door. The boy did so and the limousine crept away, tires barely marring the silence as they crawled across the gravel and out of sight.

Fenn let out a sigh of relief and Lysander smiled; their father made both of them distinctly uncomfortable for obvious reasons. The twins walked up the sidewalk, noting the freshly cut lawn as they climbed onto the porch; Lysander gave the door a short knock and it opened to reveal Kibishii.

The huge man leaned against the door frame, rubbing his crimson eyes as though he'd just woken up; he was still dressed in only sweatpants, so this might not have been far from the truth. Kibishii blinked momentarily, running a hand through his black locks, before he finally registered the sight before him.

"Come on in, guys. How ya doin' Ly?"

Lysander gave the older man a happy sort of hug, leaving Kibishii pleasantly surprised as he clapped the boy on the back. "Kibi! How are you?"

"Eh, can't complain. Just got home last night and I don't know what to do with myself," the wolf demon replied.

"Oh," Fenn said, nodding understandingly. "Because you don't have work to do?"

"Guess Raion told on me, eh?" Kibishii said gruffly, ushering the twins inside and shutting the door behind them. "Yeah, no work. Can't say I ain't happy, but Jesus I'm bored."

The Ookami house always smelled of steak and cigarettes, a smell which made demons feel strangely at home. Fenn relaxed visibly for the first time that day, untucking her white silk shirt and slipping off her patent high heels. Lysander watched in amazement as his sister became two inches shorter.

"Guess you aren't as tall as I thought," he mused, cocking his red head to the side.

Fenn gave him a light smack to the shoulder as she looked around the Spartan living room; the television was giving the room an eerie white glow, still blaring the news of Madozu. "Where're the guys?"

"Haven't gotten 'em up yet; I figured with no school they'd wanna sleep," Kibi replied, walking boredly into the kitchen and taking a drink straight from the milk carton. "You guys want breakfast?"

"No thanks," the twins said in unison. They exchanged glances, realizing that their tandem mentality hadn't totally disappeared during their time apart.

"You know, I bet Ran would wanna know about this whole Madozu thing," Lysander mentioned, rubbing the back of his neck.

Kibi shrugged as he said down on the couch, obviously still half asleep. "Sure, go wake 'im up; he hits, be careful."

After exchanging a glance with Fennella, Lysander moved slowly towards the once familiar room in the right hand corner. The door was just as he remembered it, slightly splintered along the bottom and scratched from one of Ranbou's wayward claw swipes during a roughhousing session many years ago. Inside, it smelled almost exactly the same yet with a hint of spice from cigarettes, a habit both boys had picked up at age 14 and never quite done away with. There was little or no light inside, as the shades had been drawn on the only window, but Lysander could still make out his friends naked back, laying stretched out across the bed in the corner.

Ranbou was laying on his stomach, face turned towards the door so that Lysander could see the peacefulness there. The boy's normally rigid-with-attitude face was calm and still as he breathed in and out slowly in his sleep. Lysander smiled and took a seat on the edge of the bed, shaking Ranbou's shoulder without looking down.

"Wake up, Ran."

Ranbou let out a whimper of pain and tried to shift away from Lysander's hand; the redhead frowned and glanced down at the shoulder he'd just shaken, noticing for the first time that the flesh was twisted and red raw. It looked to be a fairly recent wound that was likewise overworked, though Lysander couldn't be sure. As he turned to give Ranbou another word of waking, the lion caught sight of a misplaced picture on Ranbou's dresser; it was a picture of Shitora Taisho, eyes unfocused and face placid. She had obviously been photographed unawares, but it made her look all the more beautiful. Lysander furrowed his brow; why would Ranbou had a picture of Shitora, his most hated enemy, on his dresser?

"Ranbou, it's me, Lysander; come on, buddy," he tried again, nonetheless.

Ranbou opened his eyes a crack, dimly aware of someone's nearby presence. His ice blue eyes focused in on the face hovering above him, a face which was distantly familiar but seemed strange as he lay there.

"Huh?"

"It's me, man, for real. I just got in this morning."

Ranbou rubbed his eyes and blinked, this time sitting up until he was staring eye to eye with the one person who knew him better than anyone else. "Ly?"

The lion grinned toothily, emerald eyes sparkling in a way which could only mean happiness. "Forever and today, dude."

A wide smile gradually spread across Ranbou's face before he laughed in sheer surprise and grabbed his longtime best friend in a manly hug; Lysander responded immediately, clapping the wolf on the back.

"What are you doin' here?" Ranbou asked, still grinning.

Drawing away from his friend's arms, Lysander replied blithely, "Eh, Dad had me pick up and leave on account of some stuff that happened this morning; looks like I'm back to stay, too."

"That's great!" Ranbou exclaimed. When Lysander didn't agree and only looked uncomfortably down at the comforter, Ranbou's smile dissolved. "Right? Or do you still wanna go to school over there?"

"Naw, it's not that," Lysander finally replied, fiddling with a tear in the sheets before he looked soberly up at his friend. "It's just...I didn't come home just cause I felt like it. There was...an accident this morning in Kyoto. Like, some really bad stuff."

Ranbou was quiet, searching Lysander's face for answers; the lines around the redhead's forehead and brow were enough to make the wolf nervous, as it was rare for Lysander to ever stop smiling. "What's goin' on, Ly? Was it like...a crash? Are Kina and Koto okay? Or...was it somethin' else?"

"Not a crash," Lysander replied, shaking his head sadly. "More like...an attack."

Ranbou sat quietly, staring at his friend. Lysander and Ranbou didn't look away for several minutes, Lysander because he didn't want to tell and Ranbou because he didn't want to hear. And it was this way for a long time, the two staring in silence, the only sound being the distant buzz of the television in the living room.

9191919

"42?" Kouga asked incredulously.

"43 now," Kibi replied, shaking his head as he stood and made his way towards the kitchen. "Look."

Kouga turned to watch the screen. While her boyfriend's eyes remained trained on the television, taking in every detail hungrily, Ayame couldn't help but stare glumly down at the floor; she simply couldn't watch anymore. It all seemed inappropriate to her, that she should wake up one morning and, without any pomp and circumstance, sit in front of her television and witness the end of an era. It was obvious to those in the room that their perfect world was going to change; coexistence seemed so far away as they sat there, watching the blurry colors flashing across the television, minds blank as they wondered what would happen next. Ayame became vaguely aware of Kouga's hand gripping hers, but she could barely even feel anymore; why did people hate them?

Ranbou and Lysander came walking into the living room, looking less like two friends reunited and more like the members of a funeral parade. Lysander smiled at Ayame and Kouga, who both mustered smiles and waved in return; in the end, this was all the hello he needed in a time such as this.

Ranbou could only stand still for a moment before his legs grew restless and he was off towards the kitchen with his cell phone in his hand. Lysander glanced over his shoulder as his best friend pressed the first number on his speed dial.

"Who you callin', bud?"

"Sukini," the wolf responded dully, turning his back as he meandered slowly around the kitchen.

Lysander raised his eyebrows at the familiar nickname, one which he'd heard everyday of his young life. Fennella saw her brother's confusion and beckoned to him with her index finger, looking rather conspiratorial. Lysander sat beside his sister, eyebrow raised.

"Since when does he call Shitora Taisho?" he whispered, obviously confused.

Fennella sorted derisively, rolling her forest green eyes to the ceiling. "Since they started dating in, like, July."

"What?" Lysander asked, eyes innocently wide and mouth slightly agape.

"Yeah; Kijo said they got together at Race Wars and nobody knows exactly how it happened. Pretty suspish," Fennella reported with a naughty smile, obviously pleased by her own gossip; she was just beginning to realize that her hopeless brother would need an education on every juicy happening since his departure three years previously.

Lysander was about to express his surprise when his facial expression seemed to freeze. "I'm sorry, what was that last word?"

"Suspish."

"What is that exactly?"

Fennella snorted. "An abreev for suspicious, duh."

"An abreev?" Lysander asked obliviously.

"Abbreviation, doofus. Everybody uses abreevs now."

"Oh. Okay...awess?"

"What's that?"

"An abreev for awesome...I guess?"

Fennella mulled over this for a moment, rolling the word around in her mouth, before she finally said, "I like it. So yeah, awess."

"Fennella, maybe a little seriousness please?" came Ayame's gently chiding voice from the adjacent couch. "There's just been a mass killing of your own kind and you're acting like you don't even care."

Fenn turned to face her leader, blushing as she felt the weight of this chastening descend upon her head. "Sorry, Kijo," she murmured respectfully, bowing her head slightly and drawing her lips together. Lysander narrowed his eyes, feeling miffed on his sister's behalf, though he said nothing.

Kouga glanced at Ayame, noticing her stern tone; his girlfriend's lips were drawn in a tight line and were quickly losing their color. Ayame had always reacted violently to tragedy and this was just another example of her grieving; normally, she would never take such a tone with her core members, especially over something so harmless.

Sesshomaru, meanwhile, was sitting in his family's kitchen sipping a cup of coffee as the radio talked quietly in the corner. When the phone rang, he barely looked up from his reading to answer; the sound had become rather common place in the past hour.

"Taisho Residence."

"Hey, Shomo, it's me."

Sesshomaru allowed the coffee to slide down his throat, soothing it with steam. "Ranbou. I trust you've been listening to the news."

"Who isn't watchin' the news? But hey, listen, Lysander's back in town. For good."

Sesshomaru's silver eyebrows rose delicately, making his gaunt face look handsomely surprised. "Oh? On what occasion?"

"His dad, you know. He wasn't gonna keep him up in Kyoto while all this was goin' on."

"Well, this is good for you," Sesshomaru mentioned. "You need help with work; you've been overworking yourself."

Though Sesshomaru couldn't see, Ranbou blushed in embarrassment. "Whatever, man, I'm a big boy; I can handle it."

"I'm sure."

At that moment, Shitora came waltzing into the kitchen, still dressed in her pajamas and looking pleasantly relaxed. While Madozu towers was wearing on everyone's minds, the Taishos were a resilient lot and rather impervious to emotional damage. Sesshomaru, Inuyasha and Shitora had all begun to move about their daily lives as though nothing were amiss and it was simply the Taisho way.

Sesshomaru's face bore the hint of a smirk as he murmured, "I know you didn't call for me, Ranbou; here's my sister."

Shitora glanced up at her boyfriend's name and smiled slightly as she took the cordless phone, heading to the counter to make some toast. "Hey, Bo. How about this crazy shit, huh?"

"Tell me about it, baby girl. That human guy must've been one screwed up motherfucker."

"I mean, like, 42 people. What did he have against 42 random demons he never even met?"

Ranbou winced slightly. "43 now, kid. They keep finding more."

Shitora didn't respond for a moment, as though the information struck her. "Oh," she said finally. Sesshomaru studied his sister as she spread peanut butter on her toast, phone cradled against her shoulder. "Well, we turned off the TV because it was pissing everybody off."

"I know what you mean. By the way, guess who's takin' up space on my couch with his ass, which got fat while he was away at art school?"

Shitora furrowed her brow. "You don't mean Ly, do you?"

"Yep. His dad brought him back cause of the towers; looks like he's here to stay."

"No way! Put him on!" Shitora said excitedly; despite the fact that Lysander had always been Ranbou's best friend, Shitora and he had enjoyed a friendly relationship in their childhood. No matter where his loyalties lay, it was hard to dislike Lysander.

"Oh, I know where all your lovin's goin', Sukini," Ranbou joked, grinning broadly. He began walking towards the living room towards Lysander, who was listening to the conversation with interest.

"Yep, you know me; my affections are wavering," Shitora joked in reply.

Lysander took the phone as Ranbou held it out to him, smiling at his best friend just long enough to raise his eyebrows in disbelief. "Hello?"

"Ly! It's Shitora!"

"Hey kid, what's up?" the boy asked in his carefree tone. "I hear you're going out with this mess over here."

Ranbou feigned an offended face and crossed his arms in a huff, though Shitora only laughed. "Yeah, don't even ask; it's a long story."

"I bet; it started when we were what, five?" Lysander replied cheekily.

Shitora made a small sound of derision. "We weren't that little, Ly. Anyway, how was school?"

"Eh, you know Fine Arts school, it was...artsy."

"What did you study?"

"Eh, everything once and a while, mostly voice and guitar." It was as Lysander said this that he caught a rather disgusted glance from Ayame across the room; apparently she didn't approve of such frivolous conversation in a time of crisis. "Uh, Tora? Let's catch up soon, maybe not now, but soon. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay; I don't feel very talkative anyway," Shitora admitted. "Bye, Ly. See you soon."

"Yeah, Bye," Lysander said, trying to keep his voice chipper; it was rather out of place to hear Shitora sound so defeated. As he handed the phone back to Ranbou, looking slightly disheartened, the wolf offered his best friend a wide smile. Soon enough, Lysander found himself smiling too; that's why they were best friends, after all.

"So, you doin' alright?" Ranbou asked conversationally, moving into the kitchen and away from prying ears.

In the Taisho kitchen, Shitora's grip on the phone tightened visibly and Sesshomaru glanced up from the paper; finally, Shitora bit out, "Fine. I'm doing fine...it just freaked me out a little. You don't think..."

When she trailed off, apparently unable to continue, Ranbou prompted carefully, "I don't think...what?"

"That...that people might...try to hurt us? I dunno...like a coup or something?"

Shitora's voice sounded so small, so afraid, that Ranbou felt his confidence wavering. "A coup? Don't even worry baby girl, like hell they will."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, pup," Kibishii murmured under his breath as he came wandering into the kitchen, grabbing a beer bottle from the refrigerator.

"Shut yer face, old man," Ranbou replied hotly.

Shitora was silent for a moment, gripping the phone. "Oh, you're dad is home?"

"Yeah...where's yours?"

"Huh. Wish I knew."

Ranbou had run out of things to say because his mind had likewise left the conversation; in his head, he'd created a picture of Shitora standing in her kitchen, twisting the cord around her finger as her sad amber eyes strayed, unfocused, out the window. Even in his thoughts, she looked distraught and frail.

"Do you wanna...come over? Or do you want me to come there?"

In the Taisho kitchen, Shitora paused in her nervous dance. "Wh...why?"

"I dunno, you sound like you need a friend. Or something," Ranbou replied easily, wondering if he'd accidentally performed one of his many boyfriend faux-pas' just now.

After a nerve-wracking silence, Shitora mumbled, "Yeah, I guess I could. I'll come to your place, is that okay?"

"S'fine with me; the house is kinda full, but I guess that's nice right now. You can see Ly, in any case," Ranbou mentioned, trying to conceal his relief that she was finally coming; his demon instincts were screaming to be near his loved one in a time of danger.

Shitora breathed in a deep sigh, sucking the cold in through her fangs and trying to bring life to her lips; they'd become practically dead to feeling from so much frowning. "I'll be there in five minutes."

"Okay. I'll be waiting."

"Hey Ran?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Ranbou frowned to himself; he knew this, of course, but Shitora only said it when times were incredibly bad. It simply wasn't her way to express a deep emotion until it might never get a chance for expression again, though this didn't bother him. The thing that bothered him was that Shitora was worried enough to profess it.

"I love you too, baby girl."

Shitora smiled weakly and hung up the phone, closing her eyes and listening to the sound of larks twittering in the backyard. Strange to think that the dead from Madozu would never hear that sound again.

The Taisho daughter turned to find Sesshomaru peering quizzically at her over his spectacles, looking rather like a concerned librarian. "Are you insinuating that you're going to drive to the Ookamis'?"

Feeling rather affronted by her brother's stiff tone, Shitora replied defensively, "It's not like I'll get hit with a terrorist pipe bomb on the way."

"Don't joke about things like that Shitora and, yes, you very well could be. I don't want you driving, I'll take you," Sesshomaru argued, shaking his silver head.

Shitora frowned. "Why? What could you possibly do driving that I couldn't do?"

"I would just feel better driving you, you don't know what people could be thinking right now."

This only caused the hanyou girl to begin walking rather stiffly towards the key rack, whereupon she grabbed her car keys angrily. "I'm going, whatever Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru stood and removed his glasses, saying sternly, "Shitora, stop right there; I'm driving you and that's final."

"Who says?" Shitora replied haughtily, eyes becoming rather orange.

Sesshomaru replied levelly, "I say and I'm in charge right now, so I'm driving and that's final."

"Like hell!"

"Shitora, just stop arguing and do as I sa-"

"You're not my fucking _dad_ Sesshomaru! You can't even take care of yourself so who are you to take care of me?!" Shitora screamed, cheeks reddening as her fists clenched into small balls at her narrow hipline.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened and he reeled backwards as though he'd been hit. Shitora felt a flinch in her heart, the one reminding her ever so gently that she'd just said something terrible. Her brother recovered too quickly for her to make an apology, retaking his seat as his mouth dissolved into an unintelligible line of unintelligible demeanor.

Shitora bit her lip and glanced down at her feet as the anger faded. She said quietly, "I mean, you can take me if you want..."

"You're absolutely right; it's not my place to take care of you anymore. After all, you're sixteen. You don't need me like you used to," Sesshomaru replied, replacing his glasses on the bridge of his nose as he whipped the paper back in front of his face.

Shitora closed her eyes tightly, wondering what had possessed her to mention Sesshomaru's sickness in that moment; she had yet to ask him about his new eating tendencies because she didn't want to hear the answer. What if she couldn't help him, couldn't fix it? Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had taken care of her during their young lives and well into their older ones. It broke Shitora's heart to think that she wouldn't be able to help them in return when the time came. And that time was now. And she couldn't help. It was one of her worst fears come to life.

"I...I'll be going then. And...remind Inuyasha that Kaede left medicine for Kagome on the sink. Tell her not to move too much, okay?" Shitora whispered, saying needless things just to fill the silence between them.

Sesshomaru replied in a dull monotone, "I will."

After staring at her brother and the paper in front of his face for a few more moments, Shitora practically ran from the kitchen, the door slamming behind her. She couldn't bare to stand there in a room full of her own mistakes. Once again, Shitora found herself running from her wrong doings. Even with the guilt, she continued to commit them time and time again. And it would never stop. She knew it would never stop.

Kagome would always remember the look on Inuyasha's face when he awoke her on that morning. There were curious lines around his mouth and eyes, as though the early shadows were hitting him in just the right places to make him seem old and tired. The amber there was barely yellow, barely even orange; the color was barely discernable at all. His mouth was turned down at the corners, though not dramatically enough to be considered a frown; it was only classifiable as a face of a no expression. The orchestration of his features was difficult to decode, yet Kagome knew that something unkind was going on around her.

The aching in her back was annoying, persistent, and much like the effects of a nasty bout of flu on a weak body. Kagome winced and lay perfectly still in Inuyasha's bed, surrounded by the scent of him as he looked caringly down upon her, brushing the hair out of her face with his tan, calloused hand. The worries she'd carried the night before about staying in his bed seemed so far away; she'd fallen asleep as he carried her up the stairs and had only woken up once that night. Inuyasha had placed her on her right side and then placed a pillow against her back; he then laid on the other side of the pillow with his arm stretching out over Kagome's stomach, rubbing it in soothing circles. This had kept her more comfortable than any night she remembered.

Kagome couldn't help but smiling as she reached up her hand, cupping Inuyasha's cheek. "Good morning," she murmured, brown eyes warm and sparkling.

Inuyasha covered her hand with his, closing his eyes and savoring her closeness; he didn't want to wipe the smile off her face, especially when she seemed so happy after her terrible ordeal. He took a deep breath, upsetting the white bangs on his forehead; Kagome could sense his despair and he knew it. She was simply waiting for him to talk.

"Something bad's happened," he began, barely knowing how to start.

"To whom?" Kagome asked quietly, thinking of her friends and family first and foremost.

"To some businessmen you don't know. Didn't know." Inuyasha paused before starting up again. "A crazy human guy opened fire in the lobby of the Madozu Towers...killed 43 demons. Demons. Demons only."

Kagome closed he eyes and her smile faded, leaving a simple line in its place. Kagome stared at her eyelids, unable to release her focus, and thought of far away plains and skies where she knew no one. The thought of pain hurt her. Not just her pain, that is, but everyone's pain; she cared for every living thing. For a moment, she wondered if she could will this world away and make a new one with just her heart, thought she knew that was impossible.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," she said slowly, every word perfect and honest; her voice was so delicate and downcast that Inuyasha felt tears coming to his eyes for a strange reason. The fact that Kagome, the girl whom he loved, would feel so much hurt for his people made him want to weep.

"Is the city okay?" she asked after a moment; Kagome was no stranger to disaster and she knew well that every catastrophe was closely followed by a few more. In truth, she was thinking of her family.

Inuyasha shrugged, shaking his head sadly. "We don't know; the towers were the only place physically affected, but Shomo says he thinks it'll start riots. I heard him and Akago talking about it on the phone this morning."

This only caused Kagome's stomach to sink; Akago and Sesshomaru were always right and she had no doubt that their suspicions in this instance, as well, were true.

She and Inuyasha sat still as their minds wandered to and fro, troubled and cold. Finally, Inuyasha gave up on his tired body and lay down beside his love. Kagome turned and nuzzled her head into Inuyasha's bare shoulder, draping her arm across his chest. The contrast of pale skin and tan was startling and beautiful, like cream on coffee or clouds on sky; Inuyasha, in turn, closed his eyes once more and wrapped his arm around Kagome's thin shoulders, trying to draw her closer than he ever truly could.

The Taishos were not the only ones to have turned off their television. The Shark house was rather quiet that morning as the men sat around in their sleep attire, reading the newspaper and speaking in hushed tones. Akago had, after his conversation with Sesshomaru, woken Gan and then excused himself to the deck where he was currently working on his sixth cigarette. The other Sharks residing in the house had risen to find the television blaring the news of Madozu and their leader standing astride on the balcony; the boys had sat around the glowing box for nearly thirty minutes before one of them rose and switched it off, shaking his head dully. The television had yet to be turned on again.

Gan had decided to use this unfortunate day off to get ahead on Kayo's French homework, yet her mind was focused on many other things. As she sat cross-legged on the divan in the living room, staring blankly down at _Les Faux-Monnayeurs, _she couldn't help but allow her vision to stray out the window; Akago was leaning on the banister, staring out at calm seas as smoke rose in a telling trail above him. She knew the events of the morning were bothering him, yet she knew not how to assuage his pain; she was, after all, human, and Madozu meant less to her than it did to him. Gan cared about the death and carnage, about the loss of the families involved, but she would never understand a personal attack on her entire race. Humans, after all, were always the attackers.

"Gan-dono, would you like something to eat?"

Gan turned to regard the Shark who had spoken, an electricity-demon by the given name of Konomi. The demon was now looking at her through with burning orange eyes, framed by locks of thin black hair; it was for these looks alone that the boys had began to call him "Halloween." Halloween served as part of Akago's core and house cook, having lived under the tutelage of an Italian chef for many years of his youth. Though Gan wasn't sure about the details surrounding Halloween' s upbringing, he was always cheerful and ready to make anyone a hearty meal.

Gan sighed and rubbed her eyes blinking down at the page before her; the words were rather blurry. "I don't know, I'm not very hungry."

The tall demon paused for a moment before moving out of the kitchen, taking a bold seat beside his golden-haired leader. Gan barely even noticed him as she continued to stare down at her work; for whatever reason, Halloween was much like a large child and often sought close physical contact with others. The Sharks were generally used to patting him on the shoulder or giving him brotherly hugs. It was like a group project to care for and look after Halloween, almost in thanks for his cooking. As part of Akago's core, his job was quite different. When need be, Halloween could become quite violent.

Gan thought less of Halloween and more of her homework, though it was difficult to concentrate while constantly blinking her violet eyes and squinting at the words.

"Confound it," she whispered irritatedly, shaking her head.

Halloween furrowed his brow. "Gan-dono, are you having trouble seeing?" His voice was deep, almost like a foghorn.

Gan furrowed her brow, looking down at the words for the umpteenth time; they were still dodging in and out of focus. "Of course not," she said, nonetheless.

"Maybe you need glasses," Halloween suggested, shrugging his pale shoulders.

This provoked a snort from Gan. "Oh yes, with my non-existent health insurance, I'll waltz into the nearest Optometrist with my non-existent prescription and my non-existent money and ask for some glasses. That will go over well."

Halloween watched his leader continue to struggle, cocking his head to the side; some of the black hair has escaped his ponytail and he looked much like a curious puppy.

"Toumoku uses reading glasses; maybe you could borrow his," the boy pointed out, smiling helpfully.

"No, no, I'll be fine Halloween," Gan protested, waving off the suggestion dismissively as she continued to squint and shake her head. After a moment's silence, during which Gan found herself unable to make out more than two words of _Les Faux-Monnayeurs, _she set down the book rather angrily and muttered, "Fine, I'll go get some bloody glasses."

Halloween rose and waved cheerfully at Gan's retreating back, declaring, "And I'll make you some breakfast anyway!"

Gan walked through one of the white linen curtain-ways onto the deck, turning her head slightly as a particularly aggressive burst of salty sea air hit her full on. Akago was still leaning against the banister, eyes lazing on the distant horizon; he looked morose and, dare Gan think it, sad. Those normally playful crimson eyes were dozy and defeated, as was the slump of his shoulders. He was still wearing his sweatpants and white wife beater from the previous night, his snow-white hair constricted in a low ponytail. Everything about him was abnormal; the Akago who woke every morning at five and dressed immediately, who greeted his men cheerfully and offered Gan a smile, was currently distracted by heartbreak.

Gan felt immediately bad for approaching him and was just turning to leave when his soothing voice stopped her.

"No need to leave, Gan; I'm not unreachable just yet."

The girl drew in a breath and paused; "yet?" Gan hoped this wasn't an indication that he was planning on becoming unreachable sometimes in the near future. Twisting her fingers awkwardly together, Gan began walking slowly towards her leader and friend. Another ocean breeze upset both their hair as she allowed her right hand to fall delicately on the wooden banister's edge.

"I'm sorry to intrude, Akago," she said respectfully, violet eyes downcast.

Akago surprised her by turning with a smile on his face, crimson eyes still slightly warm if not for their sadness. "You're never intruding Gan, please."

It was in that moment, as she observed that smile and drank in the sight of Akago's handsome face, that Gan the Gun began to feel the strangest warmth around her cheeks. She began to realize soon, however, that this was the phenomenon known as "blushing." If Akago noticed, he said nothing; the only indication of his noticing lay in the twinkle in his eye.

"Thanks," Gan mumbled, looking quite awkward. When the moment had passed, she looked up from her shoes and asked carefully, "If you're using them I understand, but I was wondering if I might be able to borrow your reading glasses."

Akago furrowed his brow and the corners of his mouth began to dip. "Oh? Whatever for, Gan?"

"Well, I was having trouble..._have been _having trouble reading for several weeks now; the words keep getting all blurry. And then Halloween insinuated that I might need glasses so...here I am begging you for yours," Gan explained, rolling her eyes and using her typically-Gan hand gestures.

Akago's frown deepened. "Blurry? Do you need to go to an optometrist?"

"No!" Gan exclaimed, much sharper than she meant. Upon seeing the confused look in Akago's eyes, she sighed and closed her eyes, counting to five as she'd taught herself many years ago. "No," she repeated, quietly this time. "I don't have the means by which an optometrist would treat me. Money, insurance, none of that."

Akago sighed and turned to look at the sea, seemingly to think of options for this trouble. Eventually, he reached into his pajama pocket and produced a set of black-rimmed spectacles. He handed them to Gan, who received them and looked them over curiously before placing them on her face. Akago smiled; they made her look as severe as her spirit seemed.

"Those will do for now; I suppose you could go to the school nurse...when we return," he stated, trailing off when he unintentionally reminded himself of the disasters outside his house.

Gan bit her lip and then turned to rest her own arms on the banister, folding them placidly as she observed the blithely twittering sea birds dancing near the surface of the glassy waves. She could do very little to help Akago and she knew this well; it was the uselessness that really made her angry.

"What do you think was going through that man's mind when he walked inside?" Akago asked airily, sounding so concentrated yet so far away.

Gan shrugged, a motion which upset her golden waterfall of hair. "Probably self-righteous thoughts that would make us all ill. Or maybe...maybe thoughts we could never understand because he was mad. Madness is confusing...and so is all of this."

The quality of the girl's voice was morose and nearly sarcastic, though everything Gan said sounded something like this. Akago glanced sideways at Gan, who was becoming too thin for his taste. _Maybe she was always that thin but you never noticed in those clothes she wore, _he chastised himself lightly. _You didn't notice a lot of things, Akago...and in the end it cost you. Now, you've come to like you second in command more than is completely appropriate; you're destroying every barrier of leadership that makes your operation so divine. What are you planning, old boy? What exactly will you do with this? _

"Akago? You're thinking too hard."

Akago jerked back to the conversation he'd previously been frequenting, looking at Gan, who was regarding him with mild concern. He smiled bitterly. "I know it. And it hurts my brain indefinitely. But the real problem here is the future: I don't know what will become of us, Gan."

"What do you mean?"

Sighing, Akago explained, "Sesshomaru and I touched on it this morning, but I might as well just lay out my thoughts for someone who cares. Do you remember the occurrence in America? Five or six years ago, I think it was? Well, when the Americans realized that they were under attack and that so many of their own had just died, they became angry and then subsequently went to war in their anger. And this, this incident at Madozu...it makes me furious. It makes me want to rip people apart, to kill every living thing that might ever cause another demon harm...and that scares me. Anger is a sword that only the very skilled can wield...and I am simply not that skilled."

Gan was quiet as she digested these mighty words; it was a common occurrence that Akago said marvelous things, things that no mortal could understand until he stood still and thought about them deeply. After she finally understood the feelings Akago was trying to express, Gan nodded slowly.

"Yes...you would say that. But I've never met someone who can control their temper quite like you can," Gan confided, smiling sadly. "I mean, look at me; I get irritable over every little thing. Sesshomaru throws things sometimes, unexpectedly. And then Ryuu...well, that's about the strongest example of 'no restraint' that I can give you."

Akago laughed slightly at the mention of his friends. "Indeed. I only get angry inside, but that eventually makes an atomic explosion. Normally, it happens when no one can see it."

Gan snorted. "Secretive Mr. Akago, emotional trap-box."

The white haired boy furrowed his brow, never even looking down as he retrieved a box of Parliaments and lit a cigarette on the end of the smoldering one between his lips.

"That's me, I suppose. An emotional trap-box."

The two were silent for a moment, allowing the unspoken words between them to flit back and forth like traffic on a two way highway. The two were caught in a limbo during which they couldn't decide whether to talk about the Madozu towers or to let it lay. Eventually, Akago made their decision for them; he was never one to wallow in sorrow.

"What's our next French assignment about, may I ask?"

Gan decided to tactfully overlook his dramatic subject change and instead replied in kind, "Oh, _Les Faux-Monnayeurs, le fléau de mon existence adolescente."_

Akago chuckled slightly before he furrowed his brow in confusion. "Wait, what was that you said?"

"Le fléau de mon existence adolescente...?"

"Yes," Akago murmured, turning to squint curiously down at his second in command. "What is 'fléau' exactly? I don't think I've ever heard it."

Shrugging, Gan replied lazily, "It's equivalent to our 'bane.' So, I said it was 'the bane of my teenage existence.'"

"Hm." Akago smiled to himself before allowing his red eyes to fall on Gan's violent ones. "You are simply too smart, Gan. You surpass me."

This only caused Gan to blush again and she looked down at the splintering wood of the banister in embarrassment. Akago laughed heartily at the girl's shame and gave her a delicate pat on the shoulder, eyes once again alive with the life of his cheerfulness. As he gazed out at the climbing sun, Gan turned shyly up to look at her leader's aristocratically handsome face. Something about it was just so beautiful...Gan could get lost in the very vision of him. A smile soon captured her lips as well and she allowed her gaze to stray towards the very same sun which captured Akago's attention now; at any rate, she'd brought back his smile. That suited her well enough for now.

"Shale?"

Shale's eyes opened slowly at the sound of a nearby voice; it was small and light, like the tinkling of little bells. The fuzzy shape above her slowly grew into focus and she recognized the doll-like face of Mizumi Tousen, her crimson eyes curious and slightly concerned; a piece of wavy green hair had fallen over her shoulder and was tickling Shale's bare arm.

"Mizumi?" Shale asked sleepily, sitting up in her rickety bed and rubbing her wide blue eyes. "What time is it?"

"Oh, maybe 10:30 by now," Mizumi replied, shrugging like a five-year-old.

Before Mizumi could say another word, Shale had yelped in surprise and leapt up from the bed, running desperately around in her bed shorts looking for her school uniform. The girl was a tangle of tan arms and legs as she scrambled about like a lopsided windmill, her lame leg keeping her from true speed; every time she moved, her white blonde hair shimmered like a curtain, catching the sunlight from the solitary window.

"Um, Shale?" Mizumi asked in confusion, watching her friend run back and forth.

"Got to get to school!" Shale explained shrilly, though her nervous rantings were cut short as she stumbled on one of her school shoes and went tumbling down to the hard wood floor. Mizumi winced as the girl fell with a thump; probably half of the apartment building had woken with the noise. "Ow..." Shale moaned quietly.

"We don't have school today." Mizumi stood from the bed and hurried towards the collapsed blonde, offering her a hand of assistance. "There was a disaster in Kyoto and school was called off early this morning."

Shale paused in her flailing, staring curiously up at the dragon girl. "A disaster?"

"Yeah, at Madozu towers. It's all over the television," Mizumi explained. With their combined efforts, Shale managed to work her way into a standing position.

As she rubbed the back of her head ruefully, Shale reported, "Well, I don't have a television."

Without another word, Mizumi grabbed Shale's hand and began leading her rather forcefully out of the bedroom and into the living area. Shale yelped and managed to grab her bathrobe as her small friend dragged her around her apartment; about halfway through their journey, a thought occurred to Shale.

"Mizumi...how did you get in here?"

"The hole in the wall," Mizumi replied, as though the answer were obvious.

It was then that Shale recalled her rather awkward meeting with the Tousen siblings the previous night; it had all consisted of Ryuu losing his temper and punching a hole through their shared wall. As they entered Shale's living room, she shook her head in a wry gesture; one of the Tousen's had hung a white sheet over the hole, as though this would provide the both of them with more privacy. _So much for walking around in the nude, _Shale thought to herself.

Nonetheless, Mizumi pushed the sheet aside and stepped through the hole, bringing Shale to do the same. The blonde found herself in the midst of a Spartan apartment, one which smelled distinctly of soap and cleanliness; this surprised her, since teenagers were rarely clean, yet she could already tell that Mizumi and Ryuukoytsusei were much different from the average high-schoolers.

Mizumi practically pushed Shale down on the couch, pointing almost accusatorily at the television. "Look!"

Shale watched the television as though in a trance; she watched the bodies being wheeled out, watched the reporters gesturing to the bullet-holes now littering the lobby walls of the acclaimed Madozu towers. She tried to put together reasons in her head, reasons as to why a man could kill another like that, but she could find none. It was all painfully reminiscent of America and its many catastrophes. Perhaps Shale had expected the Japanese to be more respectful or more loving; she was beginning to realize, with a painful slap, that humans and demons all over the world were exactly the same.

"My god. Why? Why would he...why?" she stuttered out, voice quiet and strained.

Mizumi, who seemed to have sobered a great deal, took a seat beside her friend. "Who knows? Ryuu said he was just some 'fucked-up sonofabitch' who was jealous of demon powers."

"Don't swear, pup," came a gravelly voice from the kitchen.

Shale turned and discovered that, unbeknownst her, Ryuukoytsusei had been sitting in the kitchen all that time. He was sitting at the kitchen table with papers laid out in a sea before him. His green hair was in its usual style, half up and half down, yet he looked quiet casual in a simple white wife beater and sweatpants. He seemed unperturbed by Shale's presence in his living room; in truth, he'd been slightly threatened by the presence of a human in his home until he realized how much it meant to Mizumi. According to the gossip he'd been catching from his boys, Mizumi could use all the friends she could get.

"Is that really why he did it, you think? Because of...powers?" Shale asked, sounding quite bewildered.

Ryuu glanced up from the paperwork he'd so promptly returned to when he realized the question was directed at him. "People are like that; they get jealous and do stupid shit," he grunted in reply, meeting eyes with Shale briefly before returning to his work; taking over the North had become a full time job, what with Naraku's left over work. The former leader had apparently never documented any of his activities and now, Ryuu was rather stuck as he tried to turn the North into a business. If they were going to compete with the South, they needed to organize.

"But...to kill someone?" Shale continued; her blue eyes were wide with hurt.

Ryuu found himself torn from his work again as he stared up at this persistent blonde girl, who looked more upset by the Madozu towers than even him. How could a human possibly understand the pain of a demon on a day such as this? Obviously, she was feeling enough pain that she couldn't let him work in peace.

"Everybody kills, it's just a matter of when," Ryuu responded cryptically. He didn't even have time to pick up his pen again before Shale replied.

"You can't honestly believe that, Ryuukoytsusei!" she exclaimed, looking almost pained. "I mean, decent people don't kill! People like me and Mizumi don't kill! You don't kill! Only people who are really sick in their soul can kill so uselessly like that," Shale lamented, shaking her blonde head mournfully. Her blue eyes were filled with such passion that Mizumi could only look on in wonder.

Ryuu stared at the girl for a moment, crimson eyes a mixture of confusion and wryness. Eventually, he murmured, "You don't think I kill." It was less of a question and more of a statement, as though his disbelief were too potent to produce any sort of concrete query.

"No, of course not," Shale replied dismissively. She obviously hadn't caught the surprise in his voice and continued on in her despair. "You don't have that killer's crazy in you like this guy apparently did," she mumbled, gesturing limply to the television. "Only someone really diseased in their heart could actually walk in their and just kill 43 people. Those 43 people had families. A lot of them probably had wives and kids who will never see them again. What if one of those kids didn't get to see their mom or dad before they went to work? They never got to say goodbye! And that guy just thinks he can take away a life like that, just like that? What kind of...bastard!"

It was at this time that Ryuu smelled the first hint of salty tears, thought Shale's face was dry; it was Mizumi beside her who had begun to cry. Tears were now pouring down her porcelain cheeks as she stared silently at the television; she'd been unable to connect to the towers until Shale talked about children never being able to say goodbye. The very thought made her so terribly sad, she wondered if she could ever possibly be happy again.

Shale followed Ryuu's gaze and gasped slightly. "Oh Mizumi, I didn't mean to make you cry, I'm so sorry; I shouldn't have said those things, it only makes the situation worse."

Despite Shale's blathering, Mizumi only wiped the tears away with the back of her hand before replying quietly, "No, I'm glad you did. I felt terrible for not understanding all of this...but now I understand a part of it. And it's so awful...you're right. That's what you meant, wasn't it Ryuu? When you called him a fu- I mean, those words? You meant that he was so messed up, he just..." the girl trailed off as another wave of sadness hit her and she looked down at her folded hands, ignoring the tears as they fell like little rain drops on her pale arms.

Ryuu stood quietly from his seat, rubbing his eyes tiredly before making his way over to the couch. Shale watched as the burly dragon took a seat on Mizumi's other side and simply sat there, never moving as Mizumi leaned against him and cried her bitter little tears. He never made any sort of motion, except to move his left arm around Mizumi's tiny body; his right arm remained still on the arm-rest and his eyes stared, unfaltering, at the carnage on the television. Shale shook her head, marveling half at the mysterious Tousens and half at the television's horrors. She felt as though she understood the brother and sister more now, just from being with them in a time of crisis; it was a shame it had to come to that.

"Do you want me to make something to eat?" Shale asked suddenly.

Ryuu found himself glancing at her for the umpteenth time; this time he was faced with the honest blue eyes he'd seen the day she stumbled into him at school. Nevertheless, it was Ryuu's nature to be suspicious of everyone.

"Why?" he asked blankly.

"Because I bet you're both hungry and...I'm from the deep South in America. It's all I know how to do in time of crisis," Shale confessed, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly.

Ryuu continued to stare at her in silence; he swept her face and body for imperfections that might lead his mind to some sort of valuable conclusion. He used his dragon senses to look for impure motives in her mind, tried to decode the happiness that was always inherent in her face even in times of sorrow.

When she began to confuse him so much he could no long think, Ryuu finally replied, "'Skillets under the sink."

Shale smiled briefly, albeit weakly, before leaping to her feet and tottering towards the kitchen. Ryuu watched her go, eyes straying to her lame leg; even he was curious, though he could never admit it by asking. After all, it was her business. As the gentle clatter of pans began to fill the air, Ryuu shook his head and glanced down at Mizumi, who was still crying softly; the day was getting stranger by the minute.

"...and as predicted by the Police Commissioner a few hours ago, riots have broken out in the Southern half of the city. The Kyoto police have dispatched several units to deal with disturbances, which are getting quickly out of hand."

Rin stared blankly at the screen, which had become her dearest friend and most hated enemy, both within the span of the past few hours. From the time when she'd seen innocent men being wheeled out on gurneys to now, while she watched the angry faces of rioters as they kicked through storefront windows and began torching doorways, Rin's heart had hardened considerably. She felt helpless and numb as she glanced at Sesshomaru, who, besides the feeling of his hand on hers, showed absolutely no feeling of life whatsoever. Since that morning, he had been eerily quiet.

"Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru turned to face his girlfriend, who's eyes were boring holes into his head; it wasn't so much the actual staring as it was the weight of his guilt. Rin had a full time job worrying about him and he was fully aware.

"Yes Rin?" He asked, trying to seemed unfettered like usual; if there was anything they needed right then, it was a sense of normality, contrived or not.

"I...I was going to ask you. I didn't want to be a bitch about it, I was really just going to let you have space...but it's getting too serious," Rin whispered, looking down at their intertwined hands almost nostalgically.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, waiting for her to speak. He could already hear the words in his mind but soon they would come to fruition in the real world.

"Sesshomaru...why aren't you eating?"

The dog demon took in a deep breath, opening his amber eyes and turning to address this question head on once and for all. His mouth was just opening when the abrasive ring of his cell phone cut the moment short. Rin and Sesshomaru looked helplessly at one another, as though wondering if all of this would ever come to an end, but Sesshomaru reached over to grab his cell phone nevertheless. He stared at the caller ID, face a mask of silent confusion.

"Who is it?" Rin finally asked.

"Skull," came Sesshomaru's reply. With a click of the call button, Sesshomaru had answered the urgent ring. "Taisho."

"Shomo? It's Skull. We've got a bit of a situation, mate."

The normally light-hearted demon's voice was grave and worn. "What is it?" Sesshomaru prompted.

"Well, you're probably watchin' the news, then?"

"Yes," Sesshomaru replied slowly, tightening his grip on Rin's hand as she made a small sound of impatience.

Skull continued tightly, "Well, I don't have much time, so I'm going to get right to the bloody point. I'm worried about the safety of my core, get me? And we have a small window right now. I'm takin' em out."

Sesshomaru digested this for a moment and finally said, "Are you sure, Skull? That's very drastic."

"Sesshomaru, the bloody bungalow is on fire and we're hiding in the surf shed."

"I retract my previous statement," Sesshomaru mumbled, sounding incredibly troubled. "You have a place here if you need it. How many of you are there?":

"Six."

The dog demon furrowed his silver brow. "Is that all?"

"The others left, mate; it's just me, Bones, Max, Axle, Kina and Koto. We're all gettin' out as we can...the others couldn't stay."

This comment brought a certain sadness to Sesshomaru's features, one that could never fully be treated; the sadness was like a disease with no cure, one which spread it's way slowly across his face and eventually devoured the happiness in his eyes. Rin watched the transformation and closed her eyes softly, leaning down and pressing her lips to the back of Sesshomaru's smooth hand. The silver haired leader looked down at his girlfriend, who met his amber gaze fearlessly with her strong brown one. It was in that moment that the smallest spark of happiness reappeared and Sesshomaru's lips turned up in a soft smile.

"We're ready for you here, Skull," Sesshomaru said, smile obvious in his voice.

Though Sesshomaru couldn't see, the sound of his smile made Skull squint as though he were trying not to cry; this life was over and he knew it. It was time to start over whether or not he and his friends were ready; he'd never imagined a life without the Jackrabbits, though it seemed as thought it was time to let that all go too. Knowing that Sesshomaru and the rest of the South was waiting for him made Skull slightly less reluctant to leave his home...but only slightly.

"We're comin' on then," Skull said quietly, so quietly that a human might not have heard him.

Sesshomaru did, however. "See you in four hours or so."

"Faster than that if I can make it, Shomo."

"Bye Skull."

Sesshomaru put the phone down on the table and switched off the television, thanking whatever gods there be for the absence of noise. Rin honored this silence for a moment before she asked, "So they're coming?"

"Yes. Do you have room?"

"Of course."

When neither could think of anything particularly meaningful to say, Rin looked earnestly up at her boyfriend and moved closer to him, taking his thin frame in her arms as though he were a broken doll. Almost hesitantly, Sesshomaru returned to hug, finding his arms shaking as he held his girlfriend to his chest. The summer air was suddenly quiet cold as they held one another and Sesshomaru closed his eyes tightly; in the life of the Fangs, it was one thing after another. It sometimes seemed as though they would never find peace.

9191919

**I bet you guys are just really happy now. Sorry. But don't worry, things will look up eventually; this is our new conflict however. I've been listening to a lot of Tori Amos and Regina Spektor, so pardon some of my new metaphors; they're a little crazy. I'm experimenting. **

**Thanks to my reviewers, sorry for the long wait; I have no excuse. Hurt me hurt me. You guys light up my life and I'm not just saying that. I love you guys more than I can possibly explain. **

**NOW A POLL: WHAT COUPLE DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF? WHAT/WHO DO YOU WANT TO SEE LESS OF? I WON'T BE OFFENDED IT THEY'RE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, I PROMISE. **

**KOLU**


	7. Hesitation Waltz

**How are those reviewers who RESPECT me, how are you? Good? Great. Thanks for all of the POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE reviews you gave me. I have a better idea of how distribute the relationships now that you've all imparted your opinions like RATIONAL ADULTS. I thank you sincerely. A big Texas thank you to you guys. A reviewer unfortunately finds Ranbou and Shitora "Rabo and Shitty." For those of you who are unaware, "Rabo" is the Portuguese word for "buttock." I'm not sure if that was a typo or intended, but I just wanted to put it out there; you can throw it back if you want (Anchorman LOLZ.)**

**K. Now, on to the chapter. **

**9191919**

_**The Hesitation Waltz**_

_**A two person dance marked by the circular, reoccurring movements and the hesitation, a.k.a. momentary lifting, of the foot, which breaks the flow of the circle.**_

9191919

When Kagome awoke on the morning of September 8th, one day after the tragic Madozu shootings, she stared at the expensive mansion ceiling and began thinking almost immediately. She thought of everything and nothing, the small and the big, until her brain had grown so thick with things that she could think no longer. The pictures of her friends stared down at her from the wall, looking nearly accusatory; how dare she think of selfish things in the midst of tragedy?

Deciding that thought was beyond the best of her ability, Kagome sat up in bed and winced as her back gave a painful stretch; she had nearly forgotten her injuries in the midst of the chaos. It had taken a good deal of persuasion to even get Inuyasha to drive her home to the mansion, nevertheless leave his sight for more than a few minutes; just remembering her boyfriend's insistent cries caused Kagome to roll her eyes in frustration.

The sunlight had already penetrated her thick curtains, which prompted Kagome to look at the clock; 6:30. School didn't start for two and a half hours, which was comforting, though Kagome knew that her chances of actually having school were slim. At seven the previous night, the Japanese government had declared a National State of Emergency and all events previously scheduled for the upcoming week were currently in limbo.

The hallways were quiet and Kagome doubted that Rin was up; it wasn't in her cousin's nature to rise without an alarm before 8. The mansion's floors glittered brightly as sunshine dappled through the trees, creating an otherworldly haze; it was strange to think that there could still be beautiful things even when so many people were suffering the after-effects of Madozu.

As she thought this, Kagome's ears picked up the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen; she would've chalked it up to the maids and servants, yet the voice was young and slightly familiar. Furrowing her brow, Kagome began her treacherous descent to the ground floor, clutching the banister as the cold metal pressed against her thighs. Her bed shorts were short and pink, yet her wife beater was dwarfing; she strongly suspected that she'd picked up Inuyasha's shirt off the floor by accident before she left the previous afternoon.

The kitchen door was slightly ajar and Kagome pushed it opened tentatively, bracing her nose against the smell of many different breakfast foods, most of which she did not recognize. The sight which met her in the kitchen was both surprising and heartwarming, though the surprise overshadowed the latter indefinitely.

Tobi Skull and Benkan Bones, tan faces tired but happy, were sitting shirtless at Rin's kitchen table, enjoying a hearty breakfast of toast with Vegemite and hash browns. They were directing their comments and laughter at Fucking Mad Max, who was sitting, likewise shirtless, on the counter by the stove; his gnarled face made evident the fact that he found their laughter insulting. Axle's blue braids were swinging lightly as he hummed, oblivious to the conversation behind him whilst he stirred something delicious smelling on the stove. All of them were wearing bed pants and smiles, however worn or wry they were. It made Kagome smile as well and her surprise began to wane; she was beginning to understand the circumstances as her morning fog began to wear off.

"Hey guys," she said weakly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

The boys turned towards the doorway and there were several cries of, "Kagome!" as they all began to hurry towards her, arms open wide. As Kagome hugged her friends hello, she giggled; she was now remembering the friendly nature of the Jackrabbits.

"Did you guys drive in last night?"

"Yeah, Sheila; you were out like a light already, Rin said somethin' bout your back," Skull explained, crossing his muscled arms over his chest; the way his blonde hair offset his skin made him seem positively cheerful, despite the weakness in his blue eyes. Kagome suspected that the Jackrabbits had suffered cruelly from Madozu, though she knew few details.

"All in the line of duty," she replied lightly, grinning. "Are you all staying here?"

"As long as Rin will put up with us," Bones replied, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "She kept going on about how much room she had and we didn't believe her before we came. We're feeling less guilty by the minute."

Kagome chuckled, running a hand through her wild black hair. "Yeah, its kind of a big place. Where's Cook?"

Max snorted and gave Axle a gruff pat to the back. "Gave 'im the day off; Axle's a fuckin' Emeril at the stove. Makes us brekkers from back home."

"From London?" Kagome asked curiously, walking hesitantly towards the stove and examining the substances in the various pots.

"Australia too," Skull informed Kagome happily. "One day he just off and got an Australian cookbook and started makin' us dishes from home."

Kagome laughed slightly and turned to the blue haired demon. "Oh Axle, I had no idea! That's amazing!"

The boy just blushed and smiled, shaking his corn rowed head in embarrassment. "Oh no, I cook just enough to get by. And to keep these gits from eatin' me arms instead."

The others made sounds of protest, though the laughter was evident in their eyes; something about the Jackrabbits just shouted "family" and it made Kagome so happy she nearly cried every time she met with them. Especially in hated times such as these, Kagome could just feel the tears springing up in her eyes; there were so many things about which she was uncertain, so many untied ends. What if she said the wrong thing, upset someone? Feelings were so tender and her mouth had a tendency to run with her...Kagome felt the pressure of the times descending down upon her.

"Well, it's nice that you take care of each other," Kagome mentioned with an overly bright smile, trying to hide her uncertainty. She felt that, as a human, she had no right to be scared in times like these; it was demons that should really be afraid.

Max regarded her quietly for a second before he replied in his usual flippant manner, "Well yeah, that's what friends fuckin' do."

Kagome nodded slightly, glancing unsurely down at her bare feet. "Yeah, it is. I'm going to go to the warehouse and get some paperwork done; I have to put some of my records on file for core stuff."

Axle nodded with a smile, squeezing Kagome's shoulder with his strong, tan hand. "Alright, love. Want anything to eat before you go?"

As the Jackrabbits smiled at her, eyes devoid of pity but full of caring, Kagome realized that she didn't have to explain herself for these boys; Akago had once called the Jackrabbits "genuine" and Kagome could think of no better word.

Smiling softly, Kagome replied, "I dunno, Axe, I am a little hungry."

"Well pull up a chair!" Skull crowed. "Help yourself to some vegemite, Sheila."

Kagome walked gingerly towards the kitchen table, feet dancing slightly; the tile was cold on her bare skin. She sat down, cross legged, beside Bones, staring curiously at the food in the middle of the table. There was a strange brown spread in a jar on the table, adjacent to a plate of toast. She looked at the food silently.

"What is that?" she asked finally, cocking her head questioningly to the side.

Bones smiled kindly and picked up the jar of spread, turning the label towards her. "It's vegemite; it's kind of like salty jelly. Tastes rather meaty."

Kagome blinked before reaching out tentatively and spreading the vegemite on toast. When she took a bite, chewing thoughtfully, she frowned and scrunched up her nose; the taste was overpoweringly salty and bitter. "Ew," she murmured, swallowing laboriously.

"It's an acquired taste," Axle explained as the others laughed heartily.

Shooting silencing glances at his friends, Axle picked up a few plates off the counter beside him and set them down before Kagome at the table, saying, "Here's some better tasting stuff; I think Vegemite is rot, myself."

Kagome giggled as Skull made an indignant sort of pouting sound. "Thanks Axe," she said, looking at the plates before her. "Okay, what is this stuff?"

Pointing to a few steaming hot meat rolls, Axle said helpfully, "This is white pudding; it's like oatmeal, bread and suet in a sausage roll. Real good."

Kagome hesitantly cut a piece of the white pudding off the end of the offered portion and chewed it in her recently vegemite-contaminated mouth. The taste ended up being quiet pleasing and she made an appreciative sound. "Wow, this is so good! You said bread, oatmeal and what else?"

"Suet."

"What's suet?" Kagome asked, wrinkling her nose.

Max barked with laughter, distorted face smiling grotesquely. "Mutton fat," he reported, seeming perversely amused by this fact.

Kagome made a distressed noise and continued to chew, however much she wanted to spit it out. This brought around a fresh batch of laughter, even Axle this time. 

"That old rule about not telling what's in sausages is true, then," Bones chuckled.

Kagome was about to respond when the house phone gave a high-pitched ring and she excused herself from the table, hurrying towards the call. "Takeyama residence," she answered formally.

"Kagome? It's mom."

The raven-haired girl was silent for a moment, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through her body at the familiarity of her mother's voice. Finally, she murmured, "Mom?" She hadn't spoken with her mother since the beginning of June, mostly due to her busy schedule and her mother's increased work times; for a moment, the only thin on Kagome's mind was "danger."

"Hello dear," Ms. Higurashi said cheerfully, seemingly oblivious to her daughter's fear. "I was just calling to see how you were and let you know that all of us were alright after yesterday."

Kagome nearly smacked her head into the cabinet nearest her; she had forgotten to call her family after Madozu Towers. They lived in a small shrine about five miles outside the city limits and she'd simply dismissed the thought of them; she'd been too busy worrying about the Kyoto gang allies to remember. "Oh..." she said, trying to sound like she'd remembered all this time. "I was going to call today."

"Of course, dear. I understand," Ms. Higurashi said kindly. "How's Uncle Jinyi?"

Thankful for the subject change, Kagome replied boredly, "Oh, he's not home much; it's mostly just Rin and me. I haven't seen him for a while." She tactfully forgot to mention that they hadn't occupied the house at the same time since the day she came to stay in Tokyo.

"I know, my little brother's a busy man," Kagome's mother chuckled good naturedly. "How is school? Have you made any friends?"

"School is fine; I've made a few friends, yeah," Kagome said noncommittally, ignoring the snorting laughter of the Jackrabbits as their thoughts strayed to Kagome's core, the Wildcats, The Fangs, The Reikons, The Sharks and the Cobras. She'd made a few friends, alright.

"Oh good. How's Rin?"

"Rin is...Rin," Kagome muttered, smiling. "You know how she is."

"Oh yes, Jinyi still tells me. Is she still dating that nice young man? Jinyi told me that he was a straight-A student," Kagome's mother continued.

"Sesshomaru gets straight-A's still," the girl responded blithely. "They're still dating just like always; I bet they'll never stop."

"Mhmm," Ms. Higurashi answered. "Anything you want to tell me about your stay in Tokyo, Kagome?"

Kagome shook her head, even though her mother couldn't see. "No, momma. It's all just normal."

"I see. Well, we might talk about coming to see you for Christmas!"

"That would be great, Mom...um, I hate to cut you off, but I need to do some work. So, talk to you later?" Kagome said rather suddenly.

Ms. Higurashi took it all in stride, responding easily, "Of course dear. Keep in touch."

As Kagome hung up the phone, grimacing, Bones asked wryly, "Haven't told your mum yet?"

"About what?" Kagome asked, feigning stupidity. She walked stiffly to the refrigerator and retrieved a carton of grapefruit juice, which she began pouring angrily into a glass. The Jackrabbits exchanged glances behind her back, wondering if they'd awakened a sleeping dragon. "I don't know what you're talking about. My mom knows everything she needs to know," Kagome continued, though no one had interrupted the silence since her last comment.

The Jackrabbits simply avoided her gaze as she downed an entire glass of grapefruit juice in one gulp and stormed out of the kitchen, presumably to get dressed and start her day.

Max snorted derisively, contorted face sarcastic and bored. "Looks like someone has come to terms with the fact that they're in a fuckin' gang."

Bones, Skull and Axle exchanged glances; perhaps Max was correct.

9191919

Inuyasha awoke that morning to the sight of his living room ceiling. As he rubbed his eyes childishly and glanced around the living room, he began to remember falling asleep in front of the television the night before. His mind followed a typical morning process: food, Kagome, school.

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he looked around desperately for a clock; he couldn't be late in the first week of school without getting a nasty call home to Kaede.

"No school today, calm down," came Sesshomaru's soothing voice from the kitchen doorway.

"No school?" Inuyasha asked confusedly, scratching one of his twitching white ears.

Sesshomaru took a seat beside his brother, propping up his feet on the coffee table. "The government declared a National State of Emergency last night when the riots got too bad. The Jackrabbits got out just in time."

Inuyasha sighed and glanced over at his brother, who was now barely a shadow of a man; Sesshomaru's eyes were disappearing back into his head, sunken and shallow. The tiredness which was seeping its way into his skin was disturbing to say the least, as though he were approaching the end of his life despite his young age. Inuyasha swallowed rather hard as his eyes unintentionally drifted to Sesshomaru's shoulder; the bone was protruding grossly.

"I'm gonna call Kagome," he said nervously, quickly excusing himself from the living room.

As Inuyasha exited in a rush, Sesshomaru sighed and stared pensively at his hands. Now, he could barely even have a conversation with his brother without his eating problem becoming a silent issue. After a moment, during which Sesshomaru began to quietly examine the many ingredients which had come to make up the recipe of his sickness, his cell phone began to buzz violently at his hip.

"Taisho," he answered swiftly.

"Sesshy?"

The dog's lips became instantly tight and he cleared his throat nervously. "Rin. Good morning."

"I just got a call from a couple of my girls; do you want them in the warehouse today?"

After releasing a breath of relief, Sesshomaru composed himself sternly; he had expected invasive questions about his near anorexia. "I wouldn't be opposed to it. We have work to do, disaster or not."

Rin's sigh could've meant a few things, the foremost of which Sesshomaru perceived to be exasperation at his coldness. "Fine. I'll see you there in ten."

And with this, sweet little Rin hung up the phone with nary a word of love. Sesshomaru blinked dumbly before he pocketed his cell phone out of sheer habit and walked sourly into the kitchen; he couldn't stand the thought that his secretive illness might somehow damage his relationship with Rin. Shitora, who had been allowing her thoughts to dwindle over a bowl of Lucky Charms, looked up uncomfortably at her eldest brother's entrance.

"Who was on the phone?" she asked conversationally, trying to quell her embarrassment about yesterday's fight with a change of subject.

Sesshomaru replied shortly, "Rin. We're going to work today."

Inuyasha entered, obviously having recently ended a phone conversation with Kagome. He observed his siblings, noticing the tension; finally, he murmured, "Work? But what about yesterday?"

"What about it?" Sesshomaru queried scornfully.

When Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest, Shitora entered in, "Inuyasha, take it like a man; we're going to work." The way she crossed her arms so pertly, as though she were better than him, irked Inuyasha to no end.

"Shut up, Shitora; you're not the boss around here, Sesshomaru is. So don't fucking tell me what to do," Inuyasha growled heatedly, narrowing his amber eyes.

Shitora rose confrontationally, causing the table to tremor. "Don't treat me like I'm beneath you, Inuyasha!"

"What do you want me to do when you act like you are?" Inuyasha fired back, pointing a tan finger accusingly in his sister's direction. "All you've done since you came home from school is whine and act like a slut, so don't you tell me to 'take it like a man,' you hear me?"

"I don't act like a slut!" Shitora screamed in reply, eyes blazing. Sesshomaru noted that his brother had obviously touched a nerve.

"Like hell you don't; Mom would die all over again if she was alive to see you running around like some kinda ho!" Inuyasha yelled hotly, regretting the words the instant his sister reeled back as though slapped.

Shitora's eyes were wide and confused as she physically stumbled back, staring at her brother mouth agape. Sesshomaru intervened quickly, grunting, "That's enough, Inuyasha. Shitora, go get ready to leave."

Without another word, Shitora turned swiftly on her heels and ran for the stairs. Inuyasha listened to her footsteps clomping to the second floor, followed by the slamming of her bedroom door. For the briefest moment, the boy wondered if his sister would cry over his cruel comment, but the thought left his head quickly. It wasn't five seconds after Shitora's departure that Inuyasha could feel Sesshomaru's eyes boring holes through his skull. Inuyasha's ears flattened immediately to his head and he looked for all the world like a beaten puppy.

"Dad must've dropped you as a child," Sesshomaru said frostily, eyebrow raised aristocratically.

"Probably," Inuyasha mumbled, lowering his head until it rested in his crossed arms on the table top.

"We leave in five minutes." With this, Sesshomaru exited the kitchen, leaving Inuyasha alone with his guilt and a half eaten bowl of lucky charms.

9191919

Akago yawned widely, scratching his naked chest as he pored over paperwork in the back of the warehouse. The distant buzz of the fan was a useless noise in his ear, not to mention a useless instrument; it did absolutely nothing to stifle the terrible heat which still permeated Tokyo in the sunset of summer. His white braid stuck to the back of his neck and spine grossly; what with the absence of wind and the inability of the cheap fan to reach the entirety of the building, the air was becoming positively stagnant. The absence of talking and laughing didn't help.

The Shark leader looked out across the floor, observing the scores of quiet mechanics. Normally, the beginning of the school year marked a lively period for reunited friends and workers; it was rare to hear such a silence, especially on a day off from school. Yet every face, male and female, was drawn and tight with worry. Many were abnormally pale, as well as sick to their stomachs; while demons couldn't get sick with viruses, worry was another matter.

Akago sighed heavily, shoulders sagging with the effort of caring so deeply about one particular thing.

"Akago?"

His heart gave a painful leap at the very sound of her voice. He turned to find Gan standing behind his chair, holding a stack of papers and looking rather concerned, be it about work or him or everything all at once.

"Yes, right, I was just...looking at everything," Akago excused himself needlessly, shaking his head as he returned to staring pointlessly at the papers before him.

Gan cast a glance over the same horizon Akago had been observing for the past five minutes and her violet eyes gave a visible tremor. She sighed heavily, glancing down at Akago with a tremulous glittering in the corner of her normally rock solid gaze.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your looking," she murmured. "You can look as long as you want, Akago. As long as you want."

It wasn't necessarily the things she said but the heartbroken way in which she said them that made Akago take off his glasses and rub his eyes with his hands. It was rare that Gan had a feminine moment, but as of late they'd been reminding Akago how embarrassed he was for not seeing a woman behind her facade sooner. There was a certain tenderness that most men never mastered, a tenderness only known my women, and it was times like this that Akago realized that his sweet and steady Gan had harbored that same tenderness all along. It was all consuming, warm like a mother and soft like a blanket. It reminded him, that tenderness, of summer grass and the smell of washed laundry. He wasn't sure why these things epitomized comfort for him, but they did. And Gan did as well.

"Thank you," he whispered earnestly, not yet uncovering his eyes. He would look, all right, not necessarily at the warehouse fervor. His eyes strayed upwards towards Gan's worried yet beautiful face. He would look as long as he wanted.

"Akago?" Gan asked curiously after a few moments, noticing the far-off quality of his stare, which was consequently directed at her.

In a split second, Akago tore his gaze away from the blonde girl and refocused it on his work. "Work awaits me," he said quickly, pretending not to notice Gan's prolonged presence as he began scribbling hurriedly away at the paperwork. After a moment of confused staring, she simply sighed and went off to speak with Sesshomaru about budget.

In the back of the warehouse closer to the bar, Rin was leaning back in her chair, attempting to balance her pencil on the bridge of her nose; despite the fact that the world was in peril, Rin was quite bored. In times of crisis, she tended to giggle or make inappropriate sexual jokes and, in light of this disease, was now trying to occupy herself with non-verbal activities. Such as pencil-on-the-bridge-of-her-nose balancing. As she leaned back this time, the tip of her ponytail nearly touched the ground. Her brown eyes widened unconsciously as she stared intently at the yellow shape of the pencil mere inches from her eyelashes, see-sawing precariously back and forth on her nose.

"You're gonna fall back and hit ya head," Ranbou said gruffly as he passed her, reaching into the fridge for a much needed beer.

"You're gonna fall back and hit you're face," came Rin's response; this was quickly followed by a giggle.

Ranbou rolled his eyes, unable to stop the grin which tickled it's way across his lips. "You're weird," was all he said in reply.

"Hey, Ran?"

The wolf looked up at his name, finding his youngest sister Kinanme walking towards his with a wrench in her hand, face already smudged with grease and overalls ripped on the chest. "Where's your torque wrenches? I could only find this thing."

Ranbou pointed towards the tool boxes in the corner without a word, watching as his little sister, so grown up, hurried over to find the missing tool. When the Jackrabbits had finally arrived in town the night before, the Reikon leader had been thanking whatever Gods that be for their safe trip. It was a small wonder that they hadn't been ambushed somewhere along the way in his opinion, though he felt voicing it was null and void now that they'd made it safely. After a rather hurried and awkward conversation with Skull, Ranbou had brought his sisters back to the Ookami house where they were now staying. It reminded him vaguely of his childhood, but it was quite different now. Four children and four teenagers were different matters on which Ranbou had never stopped to deliberate. When he'd reached above the toilet to get a new roll and been showered by an open box of tampons, he realized that this would be a new experience for everyone involved.

"Ran-Man, I need a consult on this Cougar. Help me out?"

Ranbou nodded to Lysander, who had reverted back to his childhood nickname for Ranbou in just a day's time. Deciding to leave his thoughts alone for now, Ranbou walked with Lysander towards the aforementioned red vehicle.

The warehouse was relatively quiet and peaceful until the sound of screeching tires and scattering gravel broke the air. The mechanics turned to find Sesshomaru's Saleen rolling up the pathway at a rather quick speed, the sound of screaming bursting forth from the car as it came to an abrupt stop. The doors opened and slammed shut in quick succession, leaving only heated voices in their wake.

"...learn to keep your mouth shut; I'm an elder, so treat me like it!"

"Aw, get off yer fuckin' high horse Sesshomaru. You ain't my dad!"

"You used that excuse every time we argue, draw a new card."

"Fuck you!"

As Inuyasha and Sesshomaru continued inside, arguing with their fangs at the forefront of their mouths, Shitora brushed past her brothers in a rush and fled to the far side of the warehouse where the Ookamis had set up shop. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru seemed not to notice her retreat and only continued yelling at one another, amber eyes flashing and silver hair flaying this way and that as they turned and jerked about their arms emphatically. Many in the warehouse stopped to watch; it had been quite some time since they'd seen Sesshomaru angry in such a plebian manner. Normally his wrath was quiet, but not today.

"You make everything so fucking difficult, Inuyasha! What I say goes!" Sesshomaru roared, slamming his fist down on one of the back table, causing the poor thing to splinter down the center.

Ignoring his brother's flaming golden eyes and gritted teeth, Inuyasha replied insolently, "I'll make it difficult if I fuckin' want! I'm not a kid anymore, Sesshomaru, I don't need you to lead me around!"

"Could have fooled me," Sesshomaru replied bitterly, taking a step towards his brother with his gaunt limbs at the ready.

Inuyasha crossed his arms stubbornly, firing back, "You're just a control freak! Get off my back! If I want to apologize about something, I'll apologize if and when I want!"

Kagome had been watching the scene from her location in the left most car station where she and her Nakama were working on an oil leak in a brand new Cadillac. Brushing off her forehead with the back of her hand, she set down her screwdriver and squinted at the sight of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru screaming at one another. She'd seen the brothers disagree, but fighting was an altogether different matter. Judging by their postures, the fight was another product of Inuyasha's stubbornness and Sesshomaru's impatience. Rolling her chocolate brown eyes, Kagome regripped her screwdriver and bent under the hood to resume her work.

Knight watched her leader curiously, turning her sights to the scene in the center of the warehouse a moment later. "What do you think they're fighting about, Kijo?"

"Inuyasha's probably just being a stubborn little bitch like he always is; by the sound of it, he said something he shouldn't have and Sesshomaru's trying to get him to apologize to someone. Like that'll happen anytime soon."

Knight exchanged glances with the leopard demon Katia, who just shrugged her shoulders. Knight mentioned, "You sound kinda bitter, Kijo."

"I just have too much experience with Inuyasha and his stubbornness," she replied, wincing as the still ripped skin on her back flamed with overuse; just thinking about Inuyasha's ridiculousness made her back hurt even more and they weren't even currently in a fight.

"Should you do something, Kijo? They look like they're about to fight," Katia pointed out after a moment.

Kagome glanced up at the Taisho brothers, who's voices had escalated and were now indeed literally an inch apart from one another, muscles taut and ready to punch. The girl sighed heavily, wiping grease from her forehead before she muttered, "Stupid Taishos and their...stupid!"

Knight barely caught the screwdriver which Kagome tossed dismissively over her shoulder. The core leader took off at a quick pace, fists clenched at her sides and black ponytail swinging angrily back and forth.

"Ooh, a fight." Knight and Katia jumped visibly at Nana's voice; she appeared behind them eerily. The redhead chuckled darkly, staring at the Taishos through her white curtain bangs with her curious assassin's eyes. "Maybe they'll draw a little blood this time."

"Creepy little shit," Knight murmured mutinously, turning away and attending to work elsewhere.

Kagome, meanwhile, was stalking towards her boyfriend, who was now yelling quite hotly in the face of his older and rather more intimidating brother. Sesshomaru set his jaw and seemed ready to punch Inuyasha against the wall.

"Apologize to her NOW!" Sesshomaru roared, baring down on his brother with his superior height at his aid; the gauntness of his cheeks made him look skeletal and rather like something from a nightmare.

"Oh, FUCK OFF!" came Inuyasha's articulate response.

"Inuyasha, you're making a scene, just let it go," Kagome urged as she arrived on the scene, touching Inuyasha's arm placatingly.

"Not until he backs off first!" Inuyasha retorted, taking a brave step nearer his much taller brother.

It was in that second that Kagome was sure Sesshomaru would punch Inuyasha right in the mouth. Kagome physically dragged Inuyasha backwards by his left wrist, barely sparing the furious Sesshomaru a glance as she hurried, with Inuyasha in tow, towards the back most corner. Sesshomaru was just about to go charging after them in a blind rage when there was a loud crashing sound from the back, followed by the sound of cracking wood and someone's pained gasp. He glanced towards the lounge to see Rin laying on the ground, entangled with a broken stool cradling the back of her head.

Sesshomaru hurried towards the back, silver hair causing a wind as he jogged. "Rin, are you alright?" he asked urgently, all traces of anger gone from his handsome face.

Rin whimpered and withdrew one of her hands, which was now dotted with blood. "I fell," she mumbled rather brokenly, close to tears; the fall had frightened her more than anything.

Ranbou was quickly on the scene as well, having known the sound from the moment it occurred. "I told ya not to do that, kid," he said, sounding apologetic and frustrated that he hadn't put a stop to it in time.

Sesshomaru bent down to pick his stunned girlfriend up in his arms when Ranbou intercepted him, murmuring, "You shouldn't be doin' that Shomo, let me." As Ranbou scooped Rin up in his arms and carried her towards the couch, Sesshomaru watched them go with sadness in his eyes; was he so weak that he couldn't even hold his girlfriend? Glancing down at his bone thin arms, the dog demon closed his eyes quietly. Yes, he was indeed so weak.

"Eat somethin' and it won't be that way any more," Kouga said softly as he came up beside his best friend, reading his thoughts with a practiced ease.

"It's not that simple," Sesshomaru replied in his usual understated way.

"Nothing with you ever is," Kouga chuckled in response, clapping Sesshomaru gently on the shoulder. "I've learned that from years of experience."

"I don't mean to trouble you or Rin or my family with this...problem of mine," Sesshomaru imparted, uncharacteristically weak for a single, solitary moment.

"I know you don't," Kouga replied, smiling in reassurance up at his friend; just the way his ice blue eyes twinkled was comforting. "The only trouble it causes us is worry and even we've learned not to worry SO much over the past eighteen years."

"I...I don't know why- I..."

"Tell us when you're ready, Shomo."

Sesshomaru managed a nod, which Kouga returned. The great dog demon then went sweeping off to attend to his stunned girlfriend, who was laying on the couch while Ranbou fetched her an ice pack.

Kagome had continued dragging Inuyasha away from his self-created conflict, eyes alight with an anger Inuyasha associated with rabid animals, but had eventually let go of his wrist and returned to her work with nary a word in his direction. Inuyasha was currently standing behind her, looking confused, as Knight and Katie worked busily around him.

Eventually, he hesitated a comment in her direction. "Er, Kagome?"

"What?"

Startled by the venom in her voice, Inuyasha took an unconscious step backwards. "Um, are you mad at me?"

Knight hid a smile and Katie just rolled her eyes as they passed off a wrench to their fuming mad Kijo. It wasn't until Kagome realized her boyfriend would stand stupidly there waiting for an answer that she decided to turn and tell him off. When Inuyasha noticed that her cheeks were red and her eyes hard, he began to feel a strange feeling deep inside. He wasn't sure if he was afraid or horny...or both.

"Inuyasha," Kagome began in a mere whisper, "I put up with a lot of your shit. You're stubborn, self-centered and egotistical, but I've learned to move past that."

Inuyasha barely had time to feel insulted for Kagome put down her wrench and began advancing on him slowly. Perhaps it was the flint in her eye or the power with which she moved, but Inuyasha began to feel some kind of fear welling up inside him as she approached, speaking her grievances all the while.

"But when you come into the warehouse, making your brother, the leader, look like a fool, arguing about something that probably carries so little weight in the grand scheme of things, you really just make me want to punch you. Did you even think of that, huh? Of Sesshomaru and how this makes him look? It makes him look like he can't control his own household, which we both know is not true. I don't think he needs your shit right now, Inuyasha; he's the size of a toothpick. And besides that, this all comes back on me. You make Sesshomaru mad, he makes Rin mad, she lives with me, she's moody, we fight, I have a bad day. Get the picture? So next time you feel the urge to pick a fight with someone in the midst of a nationwide crisis, do it in someone else's backyard, cause we're pretty full right now."

With this, Kagome spared him one last withering glance and returned to her work, looking so unruffled that an outsider might think she'd been working unceasingly for hours. Inuyasha stood, stock still, as he tried to digest the many angles of his girlfriend's stern monologue. When his brain was finally able to send a message to his feet, he turned and walked towards the back of the warehouse to apologize to his skeletal brother.

"Woah," Ayame murmured from under the hood of a Toyota Celica. She'd been watching the nearby tussle between Inuyasha and Kagome, which proved to be a ready distraction from her work.

Kouga glanced up at his girlfriend, who's red head was poised in a rather animalistic position of interest, green eyes unblinking as they watched Kagome angrily working on her car. The youngest Ookami son had always found his girlfriend beautiful, even as a young child, but it never cease to amaze him how fantastic looking she was. Especially in times such as these, when he was thankful for everything he had, Kouga noticed things like this.

"Remind me never to make Kagome mad," he agreed, piping up to distract Ayame from the fact that he'd been staring at her. She always got rather flustered and embarrassed when she caught him, telling him to stop "eyeballing" her. Fortunately, he'd gotten away clean this time.

"I wonder what they fought about this morning that got Sesshomaru so angry. He's normally so calm, you know?" Ayame continued, attempting to wipe sweat from her forehead and instead smudging it with grease.

Kouga shrugged. "You'd be surprised what can set him off."

The couple met eyes for a moment, as though this comment had unintentionally caused both of them to recall the scraps and pieces the remembered from that fateful day summer's past. Sesshomaru's claws, impaling them, ripping them, burning holes in their very flesh as he staked his claim.

Ayame placed a hand on Kouga's, smiling reassuringly. "If you're thinking about what I'm thinking about, then don't. Let's never think of that again, okay?"

"Yeah," Kouga said, forcing a smile until Ayame had looked away to continue her work. Something about that summer nagged the back of his head like a task he'd forgotten to complete. What was he missing about the equation of his life that he could find in those broken memories? What was still there tugging him backwards?

Bankotsu had, too, watched the fight unfolding between Sesshomaru and Inuyasha in the middle of the warehouse floor. He didn't know what to make of it, but that very same hatred they'd shown for one another in that moment was the thing which stifled Bankotsu, created a thick fabric through which he was unable to breathe. There was so much hate in the warehouse, in the world; why couldn't people just calm down for a single second? As far as Bankotsu could tell, there was nothing about other people, discounting murderers and the like, which made them unable to get along with. In his estimation, the world could just try a little harder and end this whole "hate" wheel for good.

"Bank, whadya want for lunch?"

Suikotsu seemed to appear out of no where, as was his habit. Bankotsu jumped slightly and closed his eyes quietly. "Sui, please don't do that."

The strain in his big brother's voice was obvious and Suikotsu cocked an eyebrow, which caused his swept brown hair to fall further back on his forehead. "Sorry. What's got you all wound?"

"Nothing. I'll go get whatever you guys want to eat," Bankotsu said quickly; this provided a lovely excuse to escape the stifling heat and overall uncomfortableness of the warehouse.

Jakotsu rapped his fingernails rhythmically on the hood of his pick-up, exchanging disbelieving glances with Suikotsu. "I'll have a salad wherever we go."

This immediately caused Renkotsu, their smart and calculative brother, to role his eyes in desperation. "You're not fat, Jakotsu. You're so skinny I can barely see you when you turn sideways. So cut it out."

"Speak for yourself; men are pickier than women, so thank your lucky freaking stars you're not trying to get one of them into your bed," Jakotsu replied snappishly, turning his nose to the air and sauntering off to retrieve his Fiji water from the fridge.

"I'm gonna go pick up six burgers and a salad, then," Bankotsu murmured, rolling his own eyes as he toweled his hands off on a dish rag.

Suikotsu chuckled and resumed his work as his brother hurriedly left the warehouse, palming his car keys anxiously. Just as he was safely to his car, Miroku called out, "Hey, Bank? Are you getting lunch?"

"Yeah," Bankotsu called reluctantly back; he'd almost made it home free. "Ball's Hamburgers, whatcha want?"

At this call, fifty assorted gang members began calling out their druthers and throwing Bankotsu wads of money. He accepted it all graciously, smiling despite the bitterness welling up inside of him. As he made it, at last, to his beloved blue Cougar, the boy heaved a sigh and tossed his braid wearily over his shoulder, dipping inside and starting the engine. It seemed as though the world depended on him sometimes and, in times like these, it simply made him tired.

9191919

Mizumi kicked her feet boredly back against the cabinet on which she sat, listening to the screeching of drills and the laughing of her brother's gang members. They were currently taking apart the inside of Naraku's old warehouse, attempting to bring some light into the room and turn the labyrinth into some sort of inhabitable hideout. Ryuukoytsusei had given his boys brief instructions before sending them out to do assorted jobs, such as taking metal plates down from the windows, clearing out the old torture rooms, and oiling the old hangar doors into action. Mizumi had offered to begin scrubbing blood stains from the floor, but Ryuu had flatly refused and set her down on top of the cabinet where she currently sat. Despite the fact that being treated like a child was genuinely refreshing for Mizumi, it was beginning to annoy her. The fact that she was cute had nothing to do with her age, which was still fifteen, almost sixteen. She was more mature than people five years her senior and yet, Ryuu insisted on treating her like a five-year-old.

"Havin' fun yet, kid?" asked a burly dark haired man as he refreshed himself with a nearby water bottle. He had a face like old leather, tanned and scarred, but his black samurai knot and kind blue eyes made him seem younger than he looked.

"Loads," Mizumi replied sarcastically, rolling her crimson eyes to accentuate her point.

The man laughed heartily, a deep rumbling sound like scuffing shoes, and joked, "Well, it gets better; I hear we're gonna clean the john next."

Mizumi couldn't help but laugh when the man winked at her in a friendly fashion.

"Kobu, fuck off," Ryuu said gruffly as he stormed up, grabbing the water bottle from the man and taking a gulp himself.

"Sure thing, Toumoku," Kobu replied lightly, grinning at Mizumi as he said, "Hey, she could help us, we wouldn't mind. Might give her somethin' to do instead of just sittin' there."

"She's too small," Ryuu said simply, barely even sparing his sister a glance as he rolled out a large sheet of blueprints on the wooden work counter.

Mizumi gave a small sound of disbelief and said irritatedly, "Excuse me? I'm 5'2; that's tall enough to ride a rollercoaster, you know."

While Kobu looked skeptical, as though crossing Ryuukoytsusei Tousen in public might cost the girl some sort of physical appendage, Mizumi continued to stare at her brother unceasingly. Ryuu finished observing the blueprints and replied mockingly, "And tall enough to carry you under my arm, so I think you're little point is...pointless."

"You can not!" Mizumi declared indignantly, pushing herself off the cabinet and crossing her pert little arms. "That would make me suitcase-sized, which I definitely am not. I'm way bigger than that."

"Oh really?" Ryuu asked in his usual deep voice, though it seemed laced with some sort of dark humor.

Kobu watched with a mix of hilarity and disbelief as he stern leader marched right up to his sister and hefted her under his arm like a puppy, using his superior strength and height to carry her towards the warehouse wall. Mizumi gasped in surprise and subsequently began beating her fists on Ryuu's muscled sides, raising a ruckus which alerted many surrounding men. When they comprehended the sight before them, the Dragons began to laugh heartily.

"I'd say about suitcase sized," Ryuu jabbed with the smallest of smiles. The men couldn't remember the last time they'd seen their leader smile outside of a vicious kill and exchanged glances; perhaps he was going soft. That was good news for their lives, at any rate.

"Well, this suitcase wants to do something beside sit around on her ass!" Mizumi shouted irately, porcelain face becoming redder by the moment.

"How about you go get us lunch, girlie? A suitcase could prolly do that!" one of the men called, earning cheers from the others.

Ryuu set Mizumi upright on her feet, addressing her with a renewed sense of superiority. "I agree; a suitcase could get us lunch without trouble. Go get a hundred hamburgers from Balls."

Mizumi blinked as her brother turned and sauntered off, green ponytail swinging dully behind him. The girl was confused, thinking perhaps that this was some sort of joke, though it soon became clear that it wasn't, judging by the expectant looks of the surrounding gang members.

After a good deal of silence, Mizumi placed her hands on her hips and asked moodily, "Oh, and how do you expect me to pay for that?"

Without a word, Ryuu pointed to his Dragon jacket, which was hung on the back of a chair near the work bench. Mizumi looked around, as though expecting a ruse, before she made her way daintily towards the specified jacket on her dancer's feet. Inside the pocket she found a roll of money containing one thousand dollars in fifties.

"Bring me back the change," Ryuu said boredly as he lit a cigarette and turned his broad back to her, already bent over the blueprints for the second time.

Mizumi glanced around nervously before grabbing her brother's car keys from the table and preparing to leave.

"Naw kid, all that crap won't fit in the Mustang," Kubo interrupted, shaking his tan head. "Here, take the truck." The burly man threw her a second pair of keys, which Mizumi caught deftly.

"Are you sure?" Mizumi asked uneasily; she wasn't even sixteen and these men seemed to think driving illegally wouldn't cause a stir.

"You're a Tousen, you gotta be able to drive," Kubo replied, shrugging as though this were common knowledge, which apparently it was.

Mizumi nodded with a small smile, wondering if everyone and their mother was crazy in Japan; it certainly seemed that way. Without another word, she flitted out the door, green French braid flying out behind her as she climbed laboriously into Kubo's two-ton pick up and rolled out of the driveway.

"Nice kid," Kubo mentioned as he joined his leader at the work table.

"Hn," came Ryuu's only reply.

9191919

"60 hamburgers and a salad, please."

Louis Ball nodded boredly to Bankotsu, readjusting his greasy cook's hat and accepting the wad of money held forth to him. After years of owning the most popular underground burger restaurant in town, consequently located on the Northern/Southern territory border, Louis and his staff had become increasingly accustomed to accepting large orders. Louis was fairly sure they were going to gangs, of course he found nothing wrong with this; handling wads of cash made him happy no matter who the giver might be.

Before he could return to the back to begin Bankotsu's order, however, the cow bell on the door rang a second time. A small, feminine figure walked in through the foggy steam haze, looking around curiously at the dark, dingy restaurant. As the girl neared, Bankotsu noticed her face for the first time and smiled widely.

"Hey," he said, feeling rather more excited than he expected from himself.

Mizumi blinked, trying to make out the stranger's face against the smoggy darkness; when she finally made out the handsome, familiar face of Bankotsu Hiashi. Her face lit up with a smile to mirror his own and she waved smally.

"Hey! What's up?" she asked, eyes glowing. She could sense the change coming over herself, but she couldn't really make out the source of it.

Louis watched them for a moment, shaking his grizzly head; he knew that look well after years of observation. "Help ya, miss?" he asked gruffly.

"Oh, 100 hamburgers please," Mizumi replied, looking rather embarrassed as she handed over the money roll. "I'm sorry its such a big order and we didn't call ahead," she apologized, bowing her head slightly.

Louis looked surprised; he hadn't been apologized to in many a year. "Whateva, kid. It's cool. Under what name?"

"Tousen, please."

The man's eyes widened, but he only jotted down the name before retreating towards the back. "Give me half an hour."

Louis's departure left Bankotsu and Mizumi standing awkwardly near each other, looking around the burger hut as though it were a fascinating get away in the Pacific. Bankotsu finally decided that it was his duty as the eldest to stop this awkwardness.

"Did your brother send you out here?" he asked, knowing full well the answer; it weren't as though she were going to eat 100 hamburgers herself.

"Yeah," Mizumi replied, smiling faintly. "First, I asked to help with the work. Then he told me I was too small. And then he picked me up to demonstrate that I was suitcase size."

Bankotsu muffled his laughter, smiling a little at her plight. "There's no harm in being small; I'm the shortest one of my brothers, besides Muikotsu that is."

"Really?" Mizumi asked, rather surprised. "That seems strange somehow."

"Yeah, I guess," he murmured, chuckling slightly as he glanced down at his feet in embarrassment. "How's dance coming? And the, uh, little problem?"

Mizumi knew that by "little problem" he meant Shitora and her jealousy. The girl's face grew sour and she replied, "Only getting worse. I don't even really want to talk about it; I don't know what to do so I'm pretending it doesn't exist."

"I do that," Bankotsu replied, laughing slightly. "It doesn't work too well."

"No," Mizumi giggled.

The two glanced up from their laughing and unintentionally met eyes for the second time; the two shades of red, one burgundy and the other crimson, clashed violently and then simmered, almost like sinking into a hot bath. Mizumi's smile disappeared ever so slowly and Bankotsu's eyes widened slightly. Mizumi couldn't remember any crushes she'd ever had, not counting a failed one in kindergarten; cooties had inevitably gotten in the way. But Bankotsu had a certain something about him that made Mizumi's stomach feel wobbly and warm; it could've been his eyes, but for some reason Mizumi felt like it was his smile. The thing was infectious.

Bankotsu was having a similar struggle; green hair in a loose French braid, wearing her little white dress and flats...she looked so...cute? Bankotsu felt bad thinking of her as cute, what with her previous week's rant about not being a child and hating that stereotype when it came to the public's opinion of her. Yet she was quite cute and it made him smile indefinitely; he might never stop, in fact.

"Bank, how do you want these?" Louis called from the kitchen, interrupting the moment.

"Um, on the rare side, Louis," Bankotsu answered, sounding slightly irritated.

Louis nodded slowly, returning to his work with eyes full of suspicion. He knew that, regretfully, Bankotsu and Mizumi could never have a relationship or even a fling; Northern and Southern law forbid it, practically, and he didn't want to see a couple of nice kids get into a pool full of trouble over a two cent romance. The cook hesitated a glance through the window into the main room and watched the two smiling and talking, eyes alight; he sighed. The looked good together, at any rate.

"Never gonna happen," Louis murmured to himself, shaking his head. "Never in a million years."

9191919

Shitora moved her arm numbly, barely computing the sound of the wrench as it ground against the screw. Her mind played host to so many thoughts that her hands were beginning to hurt; it was a strange physical association, but her hands had always been sensitive to emotional distress. If anything, the hanyou girl was irritated by her own weakness in this case; it was unlike her to dwell on Inuyasha's insults with any seriousness, but for some reason this time felt different. Maybe it was the mention of her mother...Shitora's hands began to throb and she unintentionally dropped the wrench into the interworkings of the car.

"Shit," he hissed, finally coming back into herself as she leaned over the mechanical parts and began trying to retrieve the tool.

Her exclamation brought Ranbou's attention and he watched his girlfriend struggling to reach her lost wrench; perhaps it was his natural wolfen instincts or perhaps his general sensitivity when it came to Shitora, but the waves of anxiety rolling off her back were causing him discomfort. When Shitora caught her arm on a sharp nail and barked another curse, Ranbou decided to intervene.

"Sukini? You okay?" he asked, grabbing a rag and walking towards her, prepared to clean up more than just blood.

Shitora turned to find Ranbou standing behind her, ice blue eyes troubled and biceps smudged with grease. She felt a certain guilt overtake her senses as she realized her strange behavior was making him worry.

"Yeah, everything's cool," she replied, avoiding his searching gaze; she was determined to beat those Ookami blues.

Ranbou sighed a little, lips quirking up in a small smile. "You and I both know that's a lie, baby girl." He took her arm gently in his hands and pressed the cloth to the cherry red cut, which was dripping crimson splatters on the concrete below.

"It's just..." Shitora began, yet she stopped abruptly and bit her lip, glancing unconsciously towards the blue civic, under the hood of which Inuyasha and Kagome were working side by side; apparently their fight had been a short one.

Ranbou seemed to get the message and just nodded, giving his girlfriend a warm smile. "Let's ditch for a while, whadya say?"

"And go where?" Shitora asked, amber eyes confused.

"Anywhere but here."

After a brief moment of thought, which was quite unnecessary anyway, Shitora hurriedly grabbed her cell phone from the tool table and began walking with Ranbou towards his motorcycle.

"Where are you going, Shitora?"

Sesshomaru's voice stopped the girl in her tracks and she spun to face her eldest brother, causing wisps of silver hair to cross her nose like a soft snow. She seemed to be calculating a lie, but Sesshomaru's stern gaze dispelled all thoughts of such. Ranbou had noticed the trouble and was now backtracking to come to her aid.

"Just out," she said vaguely, averting her eyes as Sesshomaru took a few steps nearer her.

"We need a break," Ranbou interjected, placing a soothing hand on the small of Shitora's back; she shuddered slightly under his touch, causing Ranbou to smile mysteriously.

When Sesshomaru turned his gaze to Ranbou's, the wolf glanced down at Shitora and back up at her brother, looking desperate and sad; he seemed to be saying "give her a break" with no words at all. Sighing heavily, Sesshomaru shrugged his paper thin shoulders in a hopeless gesture.

"Fine. Be careful."

Shitora nodded with a gulp and grabbed Ranbou's hand, dragging him towards the parking lot with a startling forcefulness. Sesshomaru bowed his head, knowing the reason for her quick retreat; he could already smell the faintest traces of salt on the breeze, yet the wind was already circling around inside, blowing it back out into the late summer air. No one would ever know...no one but Sesshomaru and Ranbou. And that was the way it should be, he decided.

Ranbou hurried his steps to catch up with his girlfriend's nearly unmatchable pace, unpocketing his keys, concern growing by the second. He was about to start the engine when Lysander called out, "Hey Ran, want me to take over?"

The wolf looked up gratefully at his redheaded friend, who was smiling that ever-present, laid-back smile. With a brief nod to Kinanme, Kotone and Kouga, who were working near the entrance, Ranbou revved his motorcycle engine into life as Shitora climbed on behind him and buried her face in his back. Even as they pulled out onto the road, Ranbou was quite aware of the wetness on his back; he hadn't seen her cry since that summer.

And as the wind rushed past, Shitora's sobs were lost on the wind; any tears that weren't soaked into Ranbou's wife beater fell out on the road, the only constant thing in either of their lives. The road and each other; sometimes, that was all they had.

When they pulled up in front of Ranbou's house, Shitora was still crying rather uncontrollably. Ranbou dismounted and picked his girlfriend up princess style, shaking his head all the while; he'd gotten a vibe that morning that Inuyasha had misspoken again, but he dared not test that theory by asking any of the Taishos. Each of them was giving off that famous untouchable Taisho vibe, which was enough to scare away pro-wrestlers and the pope.

Ranbou kicked open the door and entered the familiar sights and smells of his living room, slamming the door shut before making his way to the couch; he could thinking of nothing else to do but to hold her. Shitora didn't seem to mind and only cried into his chest, warmed by the feeling of his muscular arms encircling her back. His scent was soothing as always, yet her tears didn't stop for a long while. Ranbou only wait patiently until she was finished, an act which might've nominated him for sainthood; Ranbou Ookami was not generally known for his patience.

When her tears finally slowed, Shitora looked tearfully up at her boyfriend's handsome face, her cheeks tear streaked and eyes red. "Sorry, Ran, I don't know what the hell is wrong with me." She hiccupped slightly and reached up the back of her hand to brush it across her eyes; tears had collected like raindrops on her eyelashes.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Ranbou asked, serious and serene.

"There's not much to talk about; just Inuyasha being an asshole like always," she said dismissively; this was hardly something she wanted to talk about.

"Alright then," Ranbou agreed. He smiled, bringing that familiar tan glory to his rugged face and Shitora smiled slightly in return.

At that exact moment, her stomach gave a growl and her ears flattened in embarrassment. "I'm hungry," she confessed, shrugging.

"Then we'll get you something to eat," came Ranbou's reply.

Hand in hand, they entered the kitchen and began rummaging about looking for a good meal's worth of food. They were conscious of each other all the while, looking up to know where the other was and listening to the sounds of them rustling through drawers and cabinets. Even though they were on a simple search for food, they were both aware of the underground search for something deeper; Madozu had changed everyone. Shitora felt as though her breakdown were in someway connected to Madozu, even though they seemed unrelated. It was simply a feeling she harbored; Madozu was permeating everything about her life and she knew it would for quite a while.

"How's cereal and steak sound?" Ranbou asked, surveying the contents of the fridge.

"Sounds like a party that I want to attend," Shitora joked in reply, smiling impishly over her shoulder.

Ranbou smiled back and the couple sat down for a hearty meal of just that: cereal and steak.

9191919

**Hey guys. I went over this chapter time and time again, but I kind of feel like the writing is sub-par. I tried to fix it, but some of that shit was just awkward and it wanted to stay that way. It's a filler chapter, you can smell it all over; sorry about that, but I tried to include just a little of everyone...except Miroku and Sango. They just don't get enough love, it kinda sucks for them. Lol. Anyway, this chapter was written to a song called "Gone" by Jessica Riddle, you should check it out on iTunes or something like that, it's really pretty and sad, piano and violin and voice. Nice stuff.**

**I'm sorry for my rant up there, but I cut out about fifty percent of it just so I wouldn't get in trouble. I was harsh; I asked for everyone's opinion on couples and it helped, but some people were pretty vehement about Ranbou and Shitora. And when I say vehement I mean...VEHEMENT. So, you might see less of them for a while. That little scene there (which is very bad, sorry) is to tide you over. It's gonna be all about Sesshomaru for a while comin' up. Oh noes, Sesshomaru is sickly!**

**I love you guys, thanks for everything you do and the positive reinforcement you give me; love.**

**KOLU**


	8. Antikrystos

**Gee...I wonder what's wrong with Sesshomaru? Well...it might be anti-climatic, but this chapter will tell you.**

9191919

_Antikrystos: a dance performed face to face with one's partner. It symbolizes the examination of your partner and then yourself._

9191919

Kagome became vaguely aware of the sound of her cell phone, which cut like a knife through the dark of her room. She couldn't even compute the noise as her eyes flutered open; for a moment, she thought it was just the remnants of her dream, but the glowing on her bedside table said otherwise. In a blind swipe, Kagome managed to enclose the phone in her hand and flip it open.

"Hello?" she asked groggily, voice hoarse with morning.

"Kagome, it's mom; I'm sorry to call you so late, but I thought you should know."

"Know what? What's going on?" she asked, suddenly aware of herself; this sounded like the beginning of the late night phone call she'd always dreaded.

"Well, the riots are getting too close to the house and your stepfather thinks we should leave. So Tomo is going to movie Grandpa, Souta and me to a second location that his company has ready for us. Don't be afraid, Kagome, everyone's fine, I just didn't want you to call the house phone and be scared when no one answered."

Her mother's voice had lost a good deal of its usual happiness and Kagome frowned. "Wait, you're leaving the shrine?"

"We have to, sweetie."

"But...what if the riots get to the house?" Kagome asked desperately, mind jumping back to her beautiful home, the house she'd grown up in since the day she was born.

Her mother replied almost stiffly, "Kagome, it's all about safety right now. I'm sorry about the shrine, but Tomo thinks there will definitely be some damage. Better lamps and couches than us, don't you think?"

Kagome took a deep breath and replied soberly, "Of course mom, that's not what I meant. You're more important, you know I mean that."

With a heavy sigh, her mother replied, "I know, I didn't mean to jump on you, Kagome. Everything is tense here. I don't want to leave the shrine either...but the riots are less than a mile away and moving towards the house. They're destroying everything in their path and...we just have to leave. Alright? Tomo and I both have our phones and Souta is bringing his computer, so you can reach us that way too. Okay darling?"

"Yes mama," Kagome whispered, voice breaking slightly.

"I have to go Kagome; be strong," her mother said, voice smiling but tone hurt and worn. The phone clicked off and Kagome's ears were met with nothing but the dull ring of the line.

In this silence, tears began to flow freely down Kagome's cheeks like rain from her eyelashes. Her shoulders were trembling and her hands like two ice blocks, frozen and cold in their places. The phone dropped uselessly from her grip and hit the floor with a dull little sound. The darkness seemed to enclose her as Kagome choked on a sob; her shrine. Her keepsakes, the photographs, the wall in the kitchen where her mother had marked her childrens' growth. The tree in front of which her grandpa told stories and tales. The shrine house in which Kagome's father had confessed to her about his sickness, the house where her mother had told her of her father's death. Those old stone steps, cracked by every footstep she'd taken. All of it...all of it was now in the path of destruction and there was no telling what would be taken and broken. Her shrine. Her house. Her home.

Never before had Kagome felt so far away from Kyoto; she had seen the summer as a little adventure, a by-road she'd happened to chance upon. Now she realized that her mother and brother and stepfather and grandpa were still back home in Kyoto, being a family without her. Besides her new found lonliness, Kagome was now beginning to grasp the fact that the shrine, the only thing which linked her to her father, was in danger. Did that mean she was in danger of forgetting him too?

With these new doubts came a new shower of tears. Kagome's shoulders shook with grief and she pressed one of her hands to her face, using the other to steady herself as she cried uncontrollably. Everything she'd trapped inside her stone-cold front for the past few weeks was flowing forth like a river. Everything had been so wonderful, and now...now, everything was as terrible as she could imagine.

"Kagome?" The girl startled and whipped her teary-eyed face towards the door, only to find Axle standing curiously there in a pair of surfing shorts. His eyes were cloudy with sleep and his blue dreadlocks falling free for the first time she'd seen; he looked concerned and pained as he stood there in the doorway. "Are you alright?"

"My house...the sh-shrine...m-my family has t-to leave...r-riots...I g-grew up th-there...my d-dad...I can't..." was all she managed to get out before a new wave of tears claimed her; she turned away in embarassment, realizing how little sense she was making.

Axle managed to get the basics out of this and he closed his eyes softly; he'd known it would be only a matter of time before this disaster would affect Kagome too. Though the Jackrabbits had left with little on their backs, home no doubt destroyed in their wake, Kagome was dealing with the pain of separation and connection. Whereas Axle was free of Kyoto and the trouble behind him, Kagome still had loved ones and physical ties to her hometown. Axle knew Kagome was made of tough stuff, but anyone was eventually bound to break down.

"Kagome, I'm so sorry," he murmued softly, entering the room with quiet footsteps and taking a seat beside her on the bed.

When he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, Kagome leaned in to him and was soon cradled in his arms like a child, her feet thrown over his lap and her face buried in his naked chest. Axle sighed heavily, holding her as only a friend could; he felt rather helpless, being so alienated from the emotions no doubt whirling around in her head, but he could just grasp the hurt she was feeling. He knew that hurt rather well, in fact.

"Maybe the riots won't reach your house," Axle said soothingly, rocking Kagome gently back and forth as she cried. "I mean, the police might get there in time."

"Stop tellin' the girl fuckin' lies, Axe," came Mad Max's distinctive cockney drawl from the hallway. He entered into the darkness of Kagome's room as light from the hallway spilled in behind him; his bare chest, covered in tattoos, was the same caramel tan as his arms, the color his face might've been years ago. His twisted expression was a mixture of sadness and bitterness.

Axle growled, "Sensetivity would be nice, mate," unconsciously holding Kagome closer to him.

"Don't preach to me; she knows you're lyin' just like I do, so fuckin' cut it out," Max replied stiffly, taking a seat on Kagome's other side and resting his hands on his covered knees.

"I'm just trying to be positive," Axle mumbled quietly, glancing down at the sobbing girl in his arms; he doubted she was listening to either of them. "Her house man, she grew up there. And her family's been relocated because of the riots. Positivity just might do us all some good, aye?"

Max shrugged, crimson mohawk catching the light from the hallway ever so slightly. "It depends on wotcha use it for, mate. The way I see it, we're fucked, she's fucked and everyone else is gettin' there. All of fuckin' Japan is fucked. Positivity ain't gonna put food on the table or regulations on fuckin' demon-haters, so just keepin' a stiff upper lip ain't enough."

"For once, I think this all may be as bad as you're makin' it out to be," Axle snorted, raking his claws along Kagome's back absent-mindedly.

This motion unconsciously reminded her of Inuyasha, who always did the same when she was upset, and her sobbing began to lessen. Inuyasha would help her through this time, she knew, and she had a whole slew of friends and core members alike who were looking out for her well-being. If her family got into some sort of trouble, her friends would help her and she knew it. Even at that exact moment, Axle was holding her and Max was sitting patiently by, each offering support in their own way. She had friends. Good friends.

"Thank you, both of you," she whispered, clinging to Axle still.

"Yeah," they both muttered in reply.

Kagome glanced over slightly and realized that Max wasn't the only one in the room with tattoos. She now noticed that the inside of Axle's wrist sported a dark shape and she took his hand in hers, holding it up to the light before she giggled tearfully.

"You got a tattoo of the queen on your wrist?" she asked feebly, still smiling. Indeed, there was a detailed image of Queen Elizabeth II's face decorating the underflesh of his muscled forearm.

"Hey, God love and save her," Axle replied with a hint of humor. As an afterthought he began to sing, "God save the queen, long live our noble queen, God save the queen."

"I mean it man, no future," Max said with a wink in Kagome's direction. She began to laugh slightly; with her limited punk rock knowledge, she'd managed to pick up on the Sex Pistols joke.

"No future is right," Axle sighed. "Who knew the Sex Pistols were visionaries?" When Max raised his hand boredly, Axle rolled his eyes and muttered, "Oh shut up, Max."

9191919

Returning to school was a solemn affair for students and teachers alike. The National Emergency had ended the previous day, four days after Madozu Towers had occurred, and Japan's capital was currently in a state of political disarray; there seemed to be no all-encompassing proposals of how the situation should be dealt with and, as a result, the board room was nothing but screaming and arguing. Scores of police and, in time, the national guard, had managed to quiet the riots until it was safe to walk on the streets again. The only catch was that there was now a soldier at every corner, watching for trouble.

In Southern Tokyo district 3, the North and South reuinted under these tense circumstances in the hallway of South Tokyo High, glaring at one another but feeling too tired to start fights or riots; arriving back at school was stressful enough as it was. There seemed to be nothing to talk about but Madozu; the adults were constantly in hushed conversation while the girls mourned over the loss of life and the boys talked egotistical strategy with one another. The disunity made apparent by Madozu was unsettling and the students were uncomfortable because of it.

Most startling about this incessant need to talk of tragedy was the fact that South Tokyo High's faculty seemed to have come to a tacit agreement with one another and none of them were speaking on the matter of the Madozu Tower Shootings. Even when students would ask, there was a shook head or disapproving silence. When the students looked downtrodden, the teacher could only continue, knowing that opening a can of worms like Madozu Towers would prove a complicated situation.

"...Dans ce cas, vous changeriez ce verbe à...can someone tell me?"

Kayo turned to address his AP French class, only to find several blank stares, thick with fatigue and worry, staring back at him. The young man furrowed his brow and sighed, knowing that most of his efforts were fruitless; the student body was confused and anxious and school was practically the last thing on their minds. The blue haired man sighed, running a hand over the back of the tan neck and unconsciously fingering the edge of his tiger tattoo; he briefly remembered the story behind that particular decoration and, without a second thought, placed the chalk he was holding in the board tray.

"Alright, new lesson," Kayo announced suddenly, clapping his hands together and moving to sit on the edge of his desk facing the class. He allowed his legs to dangle freely, more casual than any of his students could remember seeing. "What do you want to know?"

The teenagers continued to stare blankly back at him, though with a little more confusion this time. "About...what, Sensei?" Kagome asked, eyebrow raised.

"About the world. What do you want to know?" Kayo replied, face rather light as opposed to its normal sterness. "No one else is going to answer you about what happened in Kyoto because they're ignorant and think you don't want to talk and don't need to know. But I'll tell you whatever you want."

The class exchanged glances, shrugging their shoulders, before Shitora asked, "What's the government going to do about all this?"

Kayo snorted. "The House of Representatives and the House of Concilliors are in session right now, but you can bet nothing good will come out of there. The riots have made the lot of Kyoto insane, so I doubt the government will be any different."

"Why is the government doing anything? It's not like legislation can do nothin' about prejudice," Ranbou said derisively, ice blue eyes cold and dark.

Though Kayo was used to dissent when it came to the government, he could see something in the Ookami boy's eyes that told more than a simple teenage rebellion. It probably had less to do with the government and more to do with prejudice, he supposed.

"True story, Ookami," Kayo replied nonetheless. "But they'll certainly try. They know that if they do nothing, the'll be cornered by the public outcries from demons and humans alike."

"The humans don't have any reason to complain; they're not the ones dying," Ayame pointed out.

Kagome sighed. "They're in a little more trouble than you think; demons are rioting back and attacking innocent humans now."

Sesshomaru glanced sideways at his brother's girlfriend, who's voice was strong but eyes wavering. Though the others hadn't even caught that tremulous edge, Sesshomaru could see right through her front and he frowned; perhaps Kagome knew something that they didn't.

Indeed she did. Kagome ignored the snorts brought forth by her comment and took to staring out the window; she hadn't heard from her mother in days and had no idea how the relocation had gone or if the shrine was intact. From what she'd seen on the news, riots had caused millions of yen in damage and the number was growing the more the census studied. Her house was right in the danger zone and Kagome had an awful feeling that the shrine had been virtually destroyed. Even now, she had yet to tell anyone but Axle and Max about her family's predicament; when she saw how the others were suffering, she couldn't bring herself to burden them with her problems as well. Still, it was getting harder not to talk about it the worse her worries got.

"Humans always play the victim, just because we're stronger," voiced one demon boy from the front, crimson eyes narrowed hatefully. "It's always been that way and this is just an example of one really jealous guy, okay?"

"You don't do that from jealousy, you do that from fear," Gan said stiffly, feeling a burn of anger as the boy practically zeroed in on Kagome.

But the boy was not finished. "Oh, cause you would know all about that Kiretsu, wouldn't ya? You wanna shoot us up too? I don't trust a single fucking human in this school, lemme tell you that!"

"Get out of my classroom," Kayo said boredly, pointing to the door. "I wanted to talk, not argue and accuse. Get out."

The boy grabbed his things hotly and left the door in a rush of useless noise, slamming the door behind him. There was a strange quiet in the wake of the dissenter and Akago murmured baldly, "Talk about jealousy and fear," still stinging from the insult paid to his second-in-command.

"Expect a lot more of that," Kayo said in reply, pointing towards the desk where the angry demon boy had sat. "He just illustrated every reason why humans all over Japan should be watching their backs. Demons won't take this laying down, so all of you humans should be careful. As for the demons, there are just as many angry humans out there looking to get a bite out of your tale. So if you want my advice, don't go out alone for a while, especially you girls. This is a prime time for retalliation from both sides and you should practice caution."

"We can look out for ourselves just fine," Shitora said stubbornly, crossing her arms pertly.

Kayo stared at the hanyou girl, eyes slightly sad. "You would think so, wouldn't you? But girls are going to be the first target and hanyous the next. So you of all people should be careful, Taisho."

Shitora blinked, eyes wide at the mention of her heritage. "Hanyous? Why?"

"Because at this point, you're the unknown. Humans don't trust you because you're demon and demons definitely won't trust you because you're human. You'll have more trouble from the demons than anything; they think that humans are untrustworthy right now and the fact that you have some in you won't sit well with a lot of conservatives. So...you get the picture," the blue haired man finished, eyes boring holes through Shitora's skull.

Sesshomaru watched Ranbou's jaw tighten visibly, eyes suddenly sparkling with worry; he obviously hadn't thought about the numerous cons to this situation. But Sesshomaru had thought of them all. Specifically concerning himself, Sessohmaru knew he was a prime target for an act of violence; he was a powerful demon obviously down in his health and he had ties to one of the most powerful clans in the city. If someone wanted to hit the demons where it hurt, Sesshomaru was a good candidate.

At that moment, the bell rang and Kayo gestured towards the door. "That's your life lesson, no homework tonight." The students sighed in relief, thanking their teacher before gathering their things and exiting into the crowded hallway.

Sesshomaru walked slowly through the crowd, brushed this way and that by the slightest wind from his peers. He opened his locker in silence, looking like the living dead as he turned the lock to a fro with a dull look in his amber eyes. He was feeling weaker and sicker this day than any other past; he knew that his self-inflicted starvation was bringing him to his end because, indeed, even demons could only live for so long. Yet even as he stood there, he didn't regret his decision; he deserved every single hunger pain.

"Hey, Sesshy."

Rin saddled up beside her boyfriend and began opening her own locker, which had been next to Inuyasha's since pre-school and, consequently, two away from her boyfriend. She looked lovely today, fresh and revived after several days of tears and sadness. Her pretty porcelain face was slightly tanned from laying by the lake in her backyard and her warm brown eyes were sparkling with renewed hope. Sesshomaru knew that his wretched state brought her hope down and this fact alone killed him.

"Hey," he replied, voice deep with guilt.

Rin seemed not to notice his apprehensiveness and continued cheerfully, "Friday's the big game; are you ready, you think?"

Sessohmaru's eyes widened slightly. Friday was indeed the season opener, but it had all but slipped from his mind during the days off from school. He glanced dismally down at his body and realized that football would probably be the worst possible idea for him; but no matter, he deserved the pain of every hit.

"We look good this year," he replied, leaving his own thoughts shadowed in the back of his mind.

"I knew you would," Rin replied, smiling warmly at him; she felt as though all she could give him now was silent support. Voicing her doubts seemed to do little but push him farther away and she couldn't stand for that. No, she would just have to wait it out; it wouldn't be long before Sesshomaru's secrets unwraveled, she reasoned. How right she was.

Sesshomaru simply smiled in reply; just her pretty face could do that to his normally stern expression. She reached up on her tip toes and Sesshomaru bent his head indulgently; they shared a sweet, short kiss before Rin said lightly, "Well, time for English. See you later!"

"Bye baby, " he murmured, watching as she ran down the hallway, plaid skirt dancing around her small legs.

The dog demon closed his locker pensively and shouldered his bag, walking slowly down the hallway, right past his science classroom, right past the ringing bell and right past the exit door. He soon found his feet leading him towards the athletic offices and, before he knew it, he was standing in the doorway of Bear's office. The sound of the news blared from the radio, talking of Madozu and its consequences.

The enormous demon glanced up from game plans to find Sesshomaru Taisho, a withering wraith, standing like a ghost before him. The boy's eyes were hollow and Bear felt that familiar fear grip him once more; he hated to see something like this get ahold of one of his boys.

"Hey Shomo, what's up?" he asked nonetheless, smiling as only Bear could.

Sesshomaru walked quietly inside and set down his bags before taking a seat in the nearest office chair. "I want to listen to the news," he said simply, leaning back as white threads of hair danced in front of his eyes; he needed to get his bangs cut, he realized. Everything about his hygene but washing had disappeared from his routine as of late.

"Alright," Bear replied, running a hand through his short black hair. "Need a pass for class?"

"Science."

"Done."

9191919

"Hey Yash, are you racing this weekend?"

Inuyasha glanced up at Kouga, who had taken a seat beside him on the lawn. The students were currently on their lunch break, many of them reuiniting with friends for the first time since Madozu. The Fangs had taken up their usual spot beneath the oak tree and had spread out like a city as core members and Nakama members joined their picnic. Kagome was currently sitting beside Inuyasha quietly eating from a bento box.

"Shomo hasn't talked about it with me yet," Inuyasha replied, not wanting to talk to the wolf any more than necessary.

Kouga nodded and quickly rose from his recently taken seat, retreating back to the area reserved for the Ookami siblings and their significant others. Ranbou and Shitora were playing a good healthy game of "penis replacement," taking modern movie titles and replacing one of the words with Penis. "Charlie and the Chocolate Penis" was their most recent creation; the pair was still consumed with laughter while Kotone rolled her eyes and Kinanme chuckled as well. Skull and Bones were talking in hushed voices and seemed not to notice the conversations around them.

Ayame glanced up at her boyfriend, smiling encouragingly. "Is he racing?"

"He doesn't know, Sesshomaru's not talking," the wolf replied, taking a seat beside the redhead and reaching for his roast beef sandwich. "I don't know, Aya, I'm gettin' kinda worried now."

"About Sesshomaru?" she prompted, green eyes curious and concerned. "Is he still not talking?"

"Not a word," Kouga replied, shaking his black head sadly. "He could be dying of Silim's and we'd never know."

"Watch your mouth pup, don't wish that on nobody," Ranbou said roughly, recently torn away from his laughter by Kouga's words of derision. The eldest Ookami had taken to chastising his brother and sisters for negativity in this time of disaster. Like Axle, he believed that hope would replenish itself as soon as positivity did. Kouga's bitterness was dragging down the environment, as far as Ranbou was concerned. Besides this, the mere mention of Knocturn's five scared any demon witless. It was, conceivably, their only weakness.

Kouga snorted. "I don't wish it on anybody, Ran, I'm just sayin'; he's bein' so fucking quiet, I don't know what to think."

Shitora picked uselessly at the grass, listening as the others talked about her brother and what they had determined was some sort of sickness. She couldn't be sure, but the hanyou girl almost wanted to say that her brother was suffering from some kind of mental disorder. It was possible that the side-effects were not only mental but physical, wasn't it?

"Hey, doin' okay Sukini?" Ranbou asked, nudging her with his arm.

"Yeah, just thinkin'," she replied, shrugging her small shoulders.

Ranbou nodded slightly, eyes sobering. "About Shomo?"

"Who else is on my mind these days anyway?" Shitora grumbled, silver brow furrowed in an unintentionally cute manner. "He's scarin' me now. It's gone on too long, don't you think?"

The pair turned to look at Sesshomaru dozens of feet away, his pathetically bony shoulders peeking out under his curtain of silver hair.

"Yeah," Ranbou muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Something ain't right there, I know that."

A few blankets away, Kagome and Inuyasha had resumed their lunch after Kouga's retreat, still sitting in what was now an uncomfortable silence. Inuyasha glanced up at Kagome, who hadn't been herself for several days. He felt as though it were time for him to say something, though his brain couldn't formulate the proper words.

"Kagome, is something wrong?" he asked eventually, ears twitching like satellites in his confusion.

Kagome glanced up at her boyfriend's concerned face; this seemed to be a trend, she realized. She and Sesshomaru just seemed to be worrying everything with a heart these days. "I'm fine," she replied, deciding to not elaborate at the moment; Inuyasha probably had enough to worry about, what with his stick of a brother and the sister he'd yet to apologize or speak to since that fateful morning five days ago.

"You're not, okay? You've been really depressed for like a week," Inuyasha continued, determined to get to the bottom of his girlfriend's strange behavior.

She sighed in reply, rolling her brown eyes to the clouds. "I have a lot on my plate right now, that's all."

"Can I help?" he pressed, amber eyes wide and honest.

Kagome felt her heart twinge painfully and she nearly winced; she felt guilty enough to die. "Sorry, Inuyasha; I don't think so."

"Oh. Well, I'm here anyway," the hanyou replied awkwardly, ears drooping as a blush spread across his cheeks. Kagome smiled at the sight of him and reached up to rub his ears in the way that he loved.

"I know you are, dog-boy."

Gan had been watching the scenes around her with a limited amount of interest and chuckled darkly, taking a bit out of her turkey sandwich as Akago turned to regard her sudden laughter curiously.

"What are you laughing at, Gan?" he asked, pushing up his glasses as they threatened to slide off his nose; his white braid was hot on the back of his neck, even in the waxing summer.

"The hum of either army stilly sounds, that the fixed sentinels almost receive the secret whispers of each other's watch," Gan quoted smartly, glancing around at the numerous couples, all of whom were sitting in relative silence. "Shakespeare knew what they didn't."

Akago followed her gaze and nodded in understanding. "Ah. There seem to be a lot of secret wars going on, hm?"

"Madozu troubled all of their relationships," Gan replied dismissively, waving her hands emphatically. "They rely too much on one another; it's made them weak."

"True," Akago mused, crimson eyes quick and calculative. "But I remark with yet another excerpt from King Henry: Every subject's duty is the king's; but every subject's soul is his own. If they want to turn off their dependence, I have faith in all of them. Besides, you surely suffer from dependence as well, Gan. You're not so inhuman."

"Actually, I am."

Akago laughed heartily at the blonde, who rolled her violet eyes at the boy's hilarity. Whenever she insisted about her apathy, he only laughed; what did that mean? Did he not believe her? Or did he simply not care? As she watched the handsome boy, nay, man, laughing with that bright smile of his, she began to blush; he was entirely too handsome for his own good sometimes. It was a small wonder he was so full of himself, just like the rest of them. Demons had better genes behind them, so it stood to reason that they might be prettier than humans; still, Akago surpassed nearly every demon expectation Gan could think of.

"Excuse me."

Gan and Akago both looked up towards this voice and found themselves staring at the face of a boy with unruly white blonde hair and a bright smile; his mouth was wide and his eyes a devestating blue, not to mention the clear tan face and handsome body to match. Most noticeable about him were his numerous piercings, coming it at two eyebrow rings, two ear rods, four ear piercings, and a pair of good looking snakebites on his lower lip. Gan and Akago's eyebrows went opposite direction, up in appreciation and down in suspicion respectively.

"I'm Ren Tokihisa, one of the Reikon Elite Fighters; I don't believe we've ever actually met," the boy said with an honest smile.

When Akago said nothing and only continued to stare at the newcomer, who was paying a little more attention to Gan than he liked, Gan rolled her eyes and rose to speak with the boy.

"I'm Gan Kiretsu. We're honored, Ren," she said kindly, smiling despite the jealous waves rolling off her leader. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"Well, truthfully, Kiretsu-san, I was wondering if I could speak with you alone," the nearly white haired boy replied, smile still in place no matter how nervous it might've been.

Gan opened her mouth to speak when she was cut off by a chilling voice from behind her. "No you most certainly may not; anything you have to say to her you may say in front of me, _gunsotsu._" Akago stood to regard the boy, arms crossed and crimson eyes narrowed dangerously; though they were about the same height, something about Akago was entirely too frightening.

Ren raised his eyebrows at this address; "gunsotsu" was a term used predominantly in the Northern gangs to denote rank. Leaders like Naraku must have used the word liberally, Ren surmised, for while it's literal translation was "soldier," it normally meant "slave."

"Akago," Gan hissed, face suddenly angry. "What's wrong with you?"

Akaog grabbed her arm and pulled her backwards until they were nose to nose, his angry crimson glare right in her face. "He's just another one of those bastards, one of many to come I'm sure, who wants to use you for sex and tell his friends about his exploits. Don't even give him the time."

"You don't even know him!" Gan exclaimed, mortified by Akago's new overprotective streak. Her violet eyes turned a dark wine grape and she said lowly, "If you're going to scare off every male within the nearest ten miles, what's the point of me even going out of the house?"

"To go to school, of course."

Gan lowered her eyebrows. "Oh, that's it." With a quick turn which caused her blonde locks to swing like a curtain around her shoulders, she faced Ren and said sweetly, "Come right over here and we can have a word."

Ren smiled, giving Akago the sparest of glances before Gan led him some fifteen feet away towards a nearby oak tree. When they'd settled under its shade, Ren cleared his throat and said strongly, "Kiretsu-san, I wanted to know if you would go out with me this weekend."

"On a date?" Gan asked curiously, head cocking to the side in fascination; she'd heard tell of them, but have never actually ventured on one.

"Yes, a date," Ren replied, smiling in his handsome manner. Gan couldn't remember finding piercings abnormally attractive before, but his snakebites were certainly catching her eyes in a pleasing way.

Gan furrowed her brow, unsure about the idea, when she felt a burning in the side of her face; it turned out to be the subconscious product of Akago's stare, which was burning a hole through her head. Out of the corner of her eye, Gan could make out her leader sitting pompously with his arms crossed, looking put-out like a petulant child. This clenched the entire deal for Gan.

"Of course, that sounds great," Gan exclaimed, smiling prettily; she noticed, with some delight, that this smile caused Ren to swallow rather hard and look away with a heavy blush on his cheeks. "Where are we going?" Part of her was wondering if he would attempt to take her to the movies or something equally juvenille. Even if he did, it wasn't as if she could back out now, not with Akago watching.

"There's a car show in the Expo Center; it's an exhibit on American Gangster cars from the 20s and 30s," Ren answered, eyes lighting up at the very mention of cars. "We could catch something to eat at the coffee shop nearby afterwards."

Gan smiled as well, pleasantly surprised; as it turned out, this idea actually interested her. "Wow. That sounds really interesting; Cadillacs and Bentleys, that kind of thing?"

"That's what I'm thinking," Ren said easily; the more he talked with her, the more casual it became, thank God. Ren had never spoken easily with girls before. "So, I can pick you up at your house at 2 in the afternoon on Saturday; is that okay for you?"

"That sounds fine; thank you so much," Gan said sincerely, smiling again just for good measure; he was a likeable boy and, to his credit, incredibly good looking. Gan considered this a fine choice for her first date.

Ren offered her a hand and they stood together, waving goodbye before Ren went walking back towards the rest of the Reikon Elite, who were yukking it up under a tree on the edge of the lawn near the Fangs.

Gan brushed off her school skirt and went stalking towards her lunch, which was consequently located near the still fuming mad Akago. His crimson glare followed her from the tree to the blanket, where she failed to greet him and instead began gathering up her things.

"Where are you going?" he demanded, tone sharper than his usual light drawl.

"To talk to my friends," she replied frostily. 

"Who?"

"Why do you care?" Gan shot back, eyebrows dangerously low. She turned on her heels to go, but Akago interrupted her once more.

Standing irritatedly to his feet, Akago crossed his arms and declared, "Because I'm your leader and whether you like it or not, your business ismy business."

"Oh really?" Gan challenged, turning and taking a few daring steps near him.

"Yes, really," came his smug reply.

"Oh, well then, how's this?" Without warning, Gan reared back her right fist and punched Akago right in the face, eyes aflame and tension rising off of every limb of her body. "I'm going to go see Mizumi and Shale!"

As Akago stumbled backwards, face a perfect picture of utterly innocent surprise and hand clapped to his cheek, Gan noticed the numerous stares their little tiff had risen from the surrounding teenagers. Many of the girls looked rather afronted by the action and something suddenly occurred to Gan.

"Right, sorry," she said lightly. She closed the gap between herself and Akago for the second time and, this time, delivered a vicious slap to that very same side of his face. "Girls slap, my mistake."

And with this, Gan the Gun reshouldered her bag proudly and stormed away from the scene of the crime, leaving Akago supporting himself against the oak tree with his crimson eyes wide and a mixture of red slap-burn and bruising beginning to rise to his face; Gan had unfortunately unclosed her fist and left a few nailmarks on the flesh of his cheek. When he finally got control of his faculties, a bit of that anger began to revisit him and his expression turned from stunned surprise to complete and total fury.

"Oh, for the love of God! That was bit of on overreaction, don't you think?!" he yelled after his retreating second-in-command, who only held up her middle finger without turning to face the defeated Shark. "Christ..." he muttered, rubbing his face ruefully and discovering that it was incredibly tender to the touch; it slowly sunk in that the pain was immense and he'd never been punched harder in his life; his palm was dotted with blood.

It was after a few moments of silence, during which girls began to giggle at Gan's stand and the boys shook their head in despair (another man down, sheer tragedy) the truth of the recent events began to dawn on Akago. He had just been punched and then subsequently slapped by Gan, his second-in-command and closest friend, in broad daylight at school.

"She hit me," he whispered, stunned, to himself. "I...I can't believe she hit me!"

"As though you didn't deserve it," came Kagome's voice from behind him. Shaking her head sadly, Kagome reached into Akago's glass of ice water and folded up some of the cubes in a napkin, handing it to him wryly. "An ice pack for the defeated man."

Akago took it without a word, pressing it to his face as he sunk down against the tree trunk, suddenly numb. "She hit me. I just can't believe it; she's never hit me in all of these four years. Hasn't even come close. Never. And what did she hit me over? A boy. She hit me because I was trying to protect her from some ill-willed suitor. I can't believe it."

"Listen to yourself for a second," Kagome urged, eyebrows raised as she knelt down beside him. "'Protect.' 'Ill-willed.' As far as I could tell, that nice boy was neither of those things. Don't you think you were being a little over-protective?"

"Certainly not," Akago snorted in reply. "She has no idea what she's getting into, Kagome. She doesn't know what men are like."

Kagome was silent for a moment before she said flatly, "Seriously? Seriously. Did you just go there?" When Akago didn't answer, she continued disparingly, "Oh, you did. You totally just went there. Dude, please revisit the past few years with me; what was she pretending to be?"

"A boy," he mumbled in reply.

"A boy. And who did she spend all of her time with?"

"Boys."

"Who did she talk to?"

"Boys."

"And you think she doesn't know anything about men? Maybe you need to rethink yourself for a second, Akago, because you're the smartest guy around and you can't see what's so plain to the rest of us. That's not why you keep on scaring away all of the boys who want to ask her out; it's for a completely different reason," Kagome mumbled, shaking her head in despair; men were so ridiculous.

"I don't know what you mean," Akago confessed, sounding sort of hopeless.

"Just watch Inuyasha for a few days and then get back to me. Tell me what _you _think your problem is," Kagome said mysteriously, offering him a smile before she stood and walked back towards Inuyasha, who was thoroughly amused by the entire punching incident and was still laughing quite heartily.

This left Akago sitting alone against the tree with his own thoughts, mind a befuddlement of raging confusion. Why did women make everything so complicated? _Or maybe...I'm making it complicated?_

9191919

The sun barred down upon the football field as the team sat in a circle, stretching their muscles and chatting before practice. Sesshomaru normally used this time to talk to Kouga, but he'd felt rather strange since that morning and he couldn't understand it. It was a physical feeling, a feeling that something within him was not quite right. For the time being he was contenting himself with silence and thought; somehow, he was becoming too tired to think.

"Shomo? Are you okay?" Kouga asked.

"Yeah," the dog demon muttered, shaking his head to clear it of some of these aching thoughts; when this only succeded in causing his vision to blur, Sesshomaru felt his stomach give an unpleasant lurch.

"Alright, ladies, you know what drill we're doing," Bear called out, earning groans from the boys; the massive demon only smiled. "Our weakest point is right when we come off the line of scrimmage, so we're gonna be doing line of scrimmage and throws to our running backs all day."

The boys stood and prepared themselves for a long day of frustrating practice; repetitive full-on drills got tiring after about ten reps, so they could only imagine what two hours worth would feel like in the end. The boys lined up on the forty yard line according to their practice teams, the red and black. Sesshomaru tugged at the neck of his red practice jersey, which was becoming uncomfortably hot. It the next second, his body was suddenly encased with shivers; the silver haired boy shook out his arms, hoping this would get rid of the ridiculous tingling. Throwing his braid back over his shoulder dismissively, the Fang leader put his helmet on with a decisive smack and took his place beside Bankotsu on the line of scrimmage, finding himself face to face with Ryuukoytsusei as always.

Ryuu rolled his shoulders lithely, causing the black fabric to ripple atop his impressive muscles. As of late, the dragons ferocity in practice had decreased an incredible amount; no one was quite sure of the motivation behind this, but Bear had a fair idea. In the coach's estimation, it had something to do with the fact that he'd paired him with Sesshomaru; as Sesshomaru got skinnier, Ryuu got less aggressive and it definitely wasn't just a lack of work ethic. There was perhaps the rarest hint of sympathy in there.

Though he normally met eyes with an amber gaze of impressive strength between the face bars of his helmet, today it was not fated to be. Ryuu could see before the whistle even blew that Sesshomaru Taisho was not himself; those amber eyes were dull and out of focus, a pathetic immitation of the leader's former glory. The dog demon shook his head weakly, as though trying to will something away. Ryuu opened his mouth to say something when the whistle blared across the field.

Sesshomaru's thoughts began to disappear one by one along with his physical control. He could barely make out a blurry image of Ryuukoytsusei who was looking at him strangely, a mix of his usual carnality with a dash of concern. As his vision blurred even more dramatically than before, fleeting bits and pieces of thoughts scampered through his mind.

Rin.

Inuyasha.

Shitora.

Kouga.

His gang.

His family.

His life.

What was left of it now?"

"Nothing," he whispered to himself blearily.

With this, Sesshomaru fell forward, body limp and arms suddenly heavy at his side. In a single second, the entire world was gone and Sesshomaru Taisho was left with nothing but blindess and silence. The beating of his own heart provided a dull thump in the back of his aching head, but the pain began to gracefully dissipate. Without another word, Sesshomaru fell into a heavy unconsciousness.

Ryuu's eyes widened and he managed to catch Sesshomaru before he fell face first on the ground. "Taisho?" he asked gruffly, giving his thin shoulders a small shake. "Taisho, cut it out."

Bear was just watching Ranbou, preparing for the throw to Kouga, when he heard Ryuu's low but confused voice from the field amidst the grunting and grating of hits. The two were still on the line of scrimmage, as opposed to the chaos of the play buzzing around them. Bear could make out through the legs and cleats one simple thing; Sesshomaru wasn't moving.

"Stop! Stop! Everybody Stop!" Bear shouted, running onto the field and pushing boys this way and that as he made his way quickly to Sesshomaru's side. The movement around them began to come to a slow halt as the boys noticed their massive coach sprinting onto the green.

Ryuu tore off his helmet and said stiffly, "He's out; he fell just as the whistle went."

Bear muttered a curse and covered his eyes for a brief second; he should've known that morning when Sesshomaru visited his office in that catatonic state. He should've known that no matter how strong he was, not even Sesshomaru's body could withstand the stress he was putting on it. No one could function without food, not even him.

"What's wrong with him? Shomo? Whatsamatter?" Inuyasha asked, voice growing rather nervous as he bent down beside his brother, who was still a hollow shell of a man, even covered with football pads.

"Shit, I knew I should've done something," Kouga murmured as he arrived on the scene as well.

Helmets were torn off and scared glances exchanged as the boys began to realize that something was indefinitely wrong with their fearless leader. Bear removed Sesshomaru's helmet and placed his finger on the boy's neck, praying to every God in heaven that he could find a pulse. A pulse he found, though it was pathetically weak compared to a normal man's.

"He's in trouble. Somebody call an ambulance," Bear said finally, shaking his head.

"The nearest ambulance is two miles from here," Kouga pointed out. "It's quicker for us to just take him to Tokyo Memorial ourselves."

"Who's car is nearby?" Bear asked, glancing up at the boys.

"Mine is," Ryuukoytsusei said when no one answered; he made it a habit to move his car to the athletic parking lot before practice. "I'll take him."

"Like hell I'll trust you alone with him," Kouga barked, hackles risen at the very thought it.

"Then quit yappin' and follow me," Ryuu replied with a hint of dragon's snarl in his voice. With this, the Dragon bent down and lifted Sesshomaru Taisho into his arms, startled at how little he weighed. Jerking his head towards the parking lot, he called out commandingly, "You Ookamis, Taisho come with me. Hiashi, go get his sister and mine. Somebody call Takeyama and Tsume. We're going."

The boys all nodded, knowing that even the heretical Northerners knew that, if a leader was weak, his sub-leaders should be present at all times. Ryuu had called upon the present Southern leaders, Sesshomaru's second-in-command, and his brother to follow. Bankotsu would retrieve the rest of Sesshomaru's family and the other leaders. It was a perfectly set out plan and the Southerners were struck dumb as the Northerner walked off with Sesshomaru limp in his arms and an army of Southerners following behind.

"Practice is over for now," Bear declared, voice shaking and weak. "I'll let you guys know how he's doing tonight." And with this, the coach followed after the parade of gang leaders, whipping out his cellphone to call the principal, his own brother.

The other boys nodded dumbly, exchanging glances as they stood there stupidly, too stunned to talk. Sesshomaru Taisho was down.

9191919

Akago rummaged boredly through the Shark house refrigerator, shoveling fresh ice cubes into a plastic bag and holding it up to his face. Unbenkownst to him at the time, Gan had unintentionally opened her hand at the last second and the bloody scratched were now very defined. He had decided that there was no work to be done at the warehouse and instead retreated back to home, hoping that Gan would do the opposite; he was too embarrassed to face her at the moment. As luck would have it, his phone rang just as the front door opened and slammed shut, bringing with is her familiar scent.

"Oh perfect," the white-haired boy declared, picking up his blinking phone and answering it with a bitter, "Tsume."

"Akago, it's Ranbou. Sesshomaru collapsed during practice and we're on our way to the hospital, meet us at Tokyo Memorial as soon as you can, okay?"

Akago was barely able to process the information as the color drained quickly from his face. After he swallowed with some difficulty, the Shark leader managed to get out, "Yes, I'll be right th-"

"Gimme that. Tsume, it's me.'' Akago knew the voice to be Ryuu's and his eyebrows could only raise moderately before the man started talking once more. "Lemme talk to the Gun."

Gan stormed into the kitchen, only to find Akago standing with the phone is hand, a back of ice dripping uselessly on the floor as his eyes grew fearful. She was about to let loose on him for the second time that day when she noticed something strange about him.

"Akago? What are you looking like that for?"

In reply, he only held out the phone to Gan, his hand shaking slightly. "It's Ryuu...Sesshomaru's ill."

"What?" she asked softly, anger suddenly fading from her face. She reached out and took the phone. "Hello?"

"Kiretsu, get to the hospital; I don't want them throwing a bunch of medical shit at us that we don't know what to fucking do with. Call Takeyama."

With this, the line went dead and Gan simply stood there, frozen, holding the phone as he violet eyes trembled visibly. "We've got to go," she said quickly, looking up at Akago with her face full of fear before tossing him the phone and throwing down her back-pack, grabbing her keys from the table where she'd just discarded them.

Akago nodded and threw the ice bag into the sink, slipping his feet into a pair of old motorcycle boots on their way out the door. Suddenly their personal problems didn't seem so vast. As they ducked down into Gan's mustang, Akago withdrew his phone for the second time and hit nine on the speed dial. When a cheerful voice answered the other end, the Shark's heart dropped ten feet inside his chest.

"Hey Akago, what's up?" Rin chirped.

The boy closed his eyes softly, taking a deep all-consuming breath before he murmured, "Rin, Sesshomaru is sick. He collapsed during football and the boys are taking him to hospital. Do you know where Tokyo Memorial is?"

The silence on the line was deep and cavernous. Akago could just picture the look of complete and total confusion on Rin's face, the tears welling up in her eyes as the severity of this dawned on her. She was probably covering her mouth with one dainty hand, lips slightly parted; he could feel her heart breaking as she replied weakly.

"Yeah...yeah, I do. I'll be there as soon as I can! Don't let him...don't...just...keep him there!"

With this, the line went dead and Akago stared down at his phone. "That could've gone better."

"She'll have to come to terms with all of this soon enough," Gan replied. She glanced over at Akago to say something else, but gasped instead; the entire right side of his face was a hideous red, black and blue mess . "Oh, Akago, your face..."

"Nothing to worry about," he mumbled in return, ducking down his head so as not to cause her more grief. Despite the fact that it was his face, she seemed more mortified by it than he was. In truth, he was feeling more and more like he deserved it, for some reason.

"But I...shit. We'll have to ice it when we get home. I won't say I'm sorry for hitting you, but I'm sorry it looks so bad," Gan finished, still regal and proud despite her guilt and surprise.

Akago chuckled humorlessly. "Point well taken."

At that moment, they pulled up in front of the intimidating 22 story skyscraper known as Tokyo Memorial Hospital. As Gan parked the car and turned of the ignition, Akago remarked ruefully, "I think I'm more surprised about all of this than I should be."

"Sesshomaru, you mean?" Gan asked as they walked quickly towards the sliding door.

"Yes; it's not like we didn't see it coming," he replied.

Gan remained silent as they walked inside, but Akago could feel the anxiety rolling off of her in waves; it made every single one of his senses scream. As they entered the cold, strange smelling lobby, with its white walls and desperate feelings, several voices called out to them. An assortment of football players, Coach Bear, Shitora and Mizumi were huddled in one corner of the waiting room, all looking confused and hurt by whatever was going on.

"Do we know anything?" Akago asked urgently, glancing around the dismal circle.

"Nothing; they're checking him out," Bankotsu informed them.

Gan nodded slightly, glancing towards the double doors which led to the examination rooms. "Did they say they allowed a family member?"

"We didn't ask; should we ask?" Inuyasha prompted, glancing sideways at Shitora, who had pulled her knees up to her chest and hidden her face in the crook provided.

The blonde sighed, rubbing tiredly at her face. "I have no idea. Hold on."

She approached the woman at the desk, who was working busily away at paperwork. "Excuse me, can the family members of Sesshomaru Taisho see him?"

Without even sparing her a glance, the woman looked down at her patient list and shook her head. "Sorry, no one but authorized personnel in the intensive care ward."

"Intensive care?" Gan murmured, clearly surprised; how bad off had he been when they carried him inside?

Nodding slightly, Gan turned and walked slowly towards her friends, brow furrowed; she tried to brighten her face, lest she alert them to how dangerous this situation was becoming, yet her mask did little to fool them.

"No?" Inuyasha asked, already knowing the answer.

"No," Gan confirmed, taking a seat beside Akago; the look on her face said everything and more.

The vaccuum created by hospitals is a thing to be admired; one building can suck up sound, sight and feeling the minute you walk in the door and there's nothing you can do about it. Sesshomaru's friends and family were currently experiencing this terrible vaccuous catastrophe in all its glory; no matter how positive they tried to stay, the situation only seemed more dire the more they dwelled on it. Sesshomaru didn't get hurt, he didn't get sick, he didn't trip or falter; how was he in the hospital, in intensive care no less?

Gurneys rushed past, doctors called out orders, nurses gathered things from the counter and hurried off again. Families talked in hushes voices and ambulances roared outside; the smell of sickness and medicine and death permeated the place. It was almost unbearable to be there, let alone have a loved one expiring inside.

The sliding doors opened again five minutes later and Rin rushed in, breathing heavily as she stared around the waiting room. Inuyasha sighed and stood, calling out, "We're here, Rin."

The girl turned to face Inuyasha, feeling as though she were looking at Sesshomaru for a moment; silver hair, amber eyes...yet it wasn't him. She realized that this was her mind already trying to find a substitute for her boyfriend, as though he were actually on the brink of death or any such thing. As the word "death" entered her mind and spun around like a siren, the moment suddenly seemed to hit her. Inuyasha walked to meet her as she began to cry, tears rolling down her cheeks and disappearing on the tile floor. The boy embraced her as she issued a sound of despair and he managed to lead her towards their chairs to sit her down. The others refused to watch her, for it only solidifed the moment.

"He's not...is he...please t-tell me..." she spoke jibberish into Inuyasha's shoulder.

"We don't know," Inuyasha replied, trying to stay strong for everyone because he somehow knew this was all going to be difficult. It was something in his instincts, something in his senses. It just told him the truth.

Mizumi glanced at her brother, who was sitting quietly beside her staring off into the distance. She was confused by the goings on, specifically because she'd heard her brother and Sesshomaru Taisho were bitter enemies. She couldn't grasp the reason why her cold and angry brother would carry his enemy to the hospital and then wait patiently to hear news of him. Perhaps he wasn't the man she thought he was. Perhaps he was more.

Bankotsu sighed, eyes half hooded as he reclined back against the chair back and cold wall. He watched the other interracting, watched Mizumi give her brother a confused glance, watched Bear clapping Inuyasha on the shoulder with one of his broad hands. A moment later, Gan leaned over and whispered something to Akago, who nodded before they lapsed back into silence. Rin was still crying softly, eyes wide as the tears rolled forth; she was clutching Inuyasha's arm so tightly it was a wonder he hadn't lost feeling in it. Kouga had his elbows balanced on the chair arms and his fingers templed; he was staring at the wall across from them, ice blue eyes cold and unfocused. There was no telling what sort of dismal, contemplative thoughts he was entertaining at this point. Shitora had yet to lift her head from her knees, if only to grasp Ranbou's offered hand. The lifelessness of it all was startling to Bankotsu, who was used to his lively friends and their notorious humor and conversation. This just further proved the fact that Sesshomaru was the heart and life of the Fangs and everyone they knew, everything they stood for. Without him, they were just a bunch of ridiculous teenagers in leather running around trying to make trouble.

Inuyasha, while calm on the outside, was positively dying on the inside; all he could think of was that ridiculous fight they'd had a few days ago. He'd yet to apologize to Shitora and Sesshomaru was, therefore, still short with him. What if Sesshomaru died? Inuyasha knew he was blowing things out of proportion, but his mind couldn't help but turn to the worst. What if his brother died before he could ever apologize for that stupid fight? The stupid shit he'd said...it seemed so pointless and useless now. When he continually said that Sesshomaru wasn't his dad...something told him that was wrong. He's looked to Sesshomaru for everything since his father became scarce in the fourth grade. When he really stopped to think about things, it were as though his life was a wheel and Sesshomaru was the axle. Everything revolved around him.

"I called Kagome on my way," Rin whispered as more tears wet Inuyasha's jersey sleeve. "She'll be here soon."

The very sound of her name calmed a good number of his nerves and he let out a tense breath. "Okay."

True to form, Kagome arrived at the hospital five minutes later. Her caring brown eyes found her friends instantly and she rushed over, bending down before Inuyasha and Rin with a smile on her face.

"He'll be okay, alright? You know Sesshomaru, he's tough as nails."

Even though cheer is normally the last thing a mourning person wants to hear, it all sounded so beautiful coming from Kagome's mouth. Rin nodded slightly, reaching out to hold Kagome's hand, which she offered gladly. Inuyasha tried a weak smile in return, though it didn't go far; it died pathetically on his lips. Kagome reached out her other hand and cupped Inuyasha's cheek, still smiling.

"Tough as nails, Dog-Boy. You heard me."

Inuyasha bowed his head slightly, reaching up to place his own hand over Kagome's. They sat quietly like this for a moment before Rin scooted over a seat and allowed Kagome to sit between them; that way, both of them had a shoulder to cry on, if only metaphorically.

It was at least an hour before a doctor came forth from the pit with Sesshomaru's file in hand. He was a middle-aged coyote demon, worn and stained by a life at the hospital. He nevertheless gave a weathered smile to the teenagers as he stepped forward with his clipboard.

"Hey guys. Sesshomaru's people, I take it?" They all nodded urgently and sat up straight in their chairs, exchanging nervous glances. The doctor flipped the sheet over, staring down at his notes before declaring, "Sesshomaru is suffering from, ultimately, anorexia nervosa. The side-effect he's getting from that are what really brought him in here today; in particular, bradycardia and low phosphate levels."

"What the hell does all that mean?" Ranbou asked almost defensively.

"Bradycardia is a slow heart rate and low phosphate levels are a symptom of anorexia; that explains the muscle weakness and the fainting," Gan murmured, almost as though she were talking to herself.

"Slow heart rate?" Rin asked fearfully; the very sound of those words sent off warning bells in everyone's mind.

"It's more symptomatic and hypoxic than anything else," the doctor assured them. "Once we get some food in him with an IV, that should straighten itself out. As for the phosphate levels, we can give him drugs to fix electrolyte imbalances. The hardest part of treating anorexia is changing the mental status of the patient."

Just as the doctor said this, a nurse hurried forward and said, "Doctor, we need you in exam room 4."

"Coming," he replied before returning his attention to the frightened looking teenagers. "I have to go in the back, but they should be moving him onto the floor in just a moment; intensive care was just a precautionary measure. He'll be placed in room 214 for observation and you can visit within the hour. Best wishes to all of you." And with this, the doctor was gone, white jacket billowing out behind him as the doors swung shut.

There was a relieved sort of breath which floated around the group, though the news still held a bad tone to it. All eyes turned to Gan, as though they were asking what the next medical course of action would be.

The girl sighed and said quietly, "Some of this is good news, but not all of it. He came in here early enough into the disorder that the side-effects are limited, but anorexia itself is terrible to treat. There's something in Sesshomaru's mind that's keeping him from eating, something he's making himself do it for. Until we get to the bottom of that, we can't help him and neither can they."

Another sad tremble ran over the friends and suddenly their despair was back; while the hospital could treat him to a certain extent, they were still no closer to understanding the reasoning behind Sesshomaru's strange behavior.

After a few minutes of motionlessness, Kouga stood from his seat and approached the front desk. "Do you know if Sesshomaru Taisho has been moved to his room yet?"

Again, without a glance in his direction, the doctor typed in a few numbers on her computer and declared, "He arrived five minutes ago. Room 214."

"Thanks," Kouga replied, taking a steeling breath before he walked slowly towards the elevator, practically weighed down by this whole experience.

None of the others made as though to follow him, knowing that perhaps Kouga was the only one who could crack this mystery. He had known Sesshomaru the most the longest and was with him the most total time per day. If Kouga Ookami, the only man Sesshomaru trusted completely on this earth, couldn't understand him, there was no helping left to be done.

The elevator was old and rickety and smelled like urine. Kouga exited quickly on the second floor, following the signs as they directed him towards room 214. He passed scores upon scores of sick and injured, catching snippets of conversation or tearful hellos, even a few goodbyes. The dismal scenes which greeted him along the way didn't help in his ultimate journey, but they might've prepared him more precisely for the sight he was about to behold.

The door to room 214 was open and Sesshomaru's scent washed over Kouga as soon as he entered. There were two nurses within, one checking the status of the IV bag and one jotting down notes on a clipboard; they glanced up at Kouga's entrance but seemed hurried and uninterested. Tokyo Memorial, the largest and only public hospital in the city, was always swamped with work and there was no time to waste on guests or family members. All the staff could worry about was the clientel.

"Buzz if you need anything, Mr. Taisho," one of the nurses said before the two of them exited the room in a rush, scampering down the hallway to answer a page.

Kouga stood in the doorway for a moment, staring at Sesshomaru in the hospital bed; surrounded by white, he seemed as small as a child. He had never looked thinner, Kouga noted, and his silver hair was now a dull gray, as though he were aging right before his friend's eyes. The hollows in his face were catching every shadow like dark gloves; the overal paleness of Sesshomaru combined with the light in the hospital made it seem like he was disappearing back into the mattress. The numerous cords running through him, IV and heart monitor included, made a sight rather like a spider web; the heart monitor beeped slowly in the background, the only constant sound Kouga could hear.

Sesshomaru's eyes were open and he seemed alert; every sign of wakefulness could be found in those golden orbs. Kouga walked forward and pulled up a chair propped against the wall, taking a seat beside the bed as his anxiety waned. At least his was awake. And alive.

"Well, I bet you already knew this, but you're anorexic," Kouga said unceremoniously, voice almost joking.

The dog demon gave a dull snort and closed his eyes softly. "As though they could even understand." His voice was hoarse and foreign, not at all his usual aristocratic monotone.

Kouga bit his lip, nearly bringing it to blood with his fang, before he murmured, "Could I? Understand, I mean?"

Sesshomaru was silent for so long Kouga wondered if he'd fallen asleep. The heart monitor continued soldiering on in a manner that Kouga's only peace was that his friend was alive. Finally, the dog demon turned his head until his eyes and Kouga's were locked. "Do you remember when Kaede used to tell us stories from the bible?" Kouga nodded solemnly, not wanting to interrupt with words of his own. Sesshomaru continued, "She told us so many stories where the people would repent for things they had done through days of starvation or by flogging themselves. Most of them just prayed for days on end until they felt clean again." With an almost eery smile on his face, the dog demon concluded, "This is how I pray."

Before Kouga even knew what was happening, Sesshomaru's thin hand reached out and he knocked Kouga lightly on the chest in just a certain spot near the abdomen. Though it was hardly Kouga's intention, a wince overtook his face at the sudden pain; he couldn't deny the fact that those scars still hurt, even after weeks of recovery.

"I did that," Sesshomaru said simply. "I'm a sick fuck."

In this single, solitary moment, Kouga finally understood; penance. Sesshomaru was punishing his body as a penance for hurting his friends the day of the battle. Kouga could barely even remember becoming a demon, let alone charging around as one. He could only recall waking up, chest on fire and tears suddenly springing to his eyes. Sesshomaru's acid claws certainly caused them all a fair amount of damage, but Kouga had never for once regretted him like the dog demon was suggesting. Kouga's blue eyes grew wide and hurt, the color of an ice storm in winter; he looked at Sesshomaru with an unreadable expression on his face.

"I...Sesshomaru, we all hurt each other that day...we weren't ourselves," Kouga stumbled out, avoiding his friend's gaze.

"I didn't have a mark on me except from when they changed me back. I'm a sick fuck," Sesshomaru repeated. His gaze was eerily fixed on the ceiling, as though he couldn't see side to side.

Kouga gestured with his hands before he even began talking, as though he were just trying to get the words out. "It's not your fault that you're stronger than us, Sesh-"

"I'M NOT STRONG. I'M WEAK!" Sesshomaru shouted suddenly, head raising off the pillow as his eyes flashed crimson and his fangs seemed to leap from his mouth in this display.

Kouga's first instinct was to scoot away, though he knew that was almost what Sesshomaru wanted of him; Sesshomaru was trying to prove to himself that his friends were afraid, that he was a frightening and dangerous demon who deserved his self-inflicted punishment.

"No you're not," Kouga argued, crossing his arms with a well-placed eye roll; maybe if he played it off, Sesshomaru would calm down. "Shut up Sesshomaru, you've been kicking ass since you were born. It's just the way you are."

"I literally tore my friends limb from limb and was about to start in on my girlfriend. I stabbed you in the stomach. I cut down my own brother. I'm an animal. No wonder that man went right into Madozu and started shooting; because of things like me. I'm not even human," Sesshomaru said quietly, eyes suddenly focused back on the ceiling.

"Don't talk about Madozu like that and of course you're not human! You're a demon and you should be damn pro-" Kouga suddenly stopped talking and his angry face drew a blank. "Wait, who told you about the fight?" Not even Kouga knew such details. "You just saw their wounds, right? You don't-"

"I remember. I've been remembering a little more each day. After a while...I made my self so sick that I couldn't eat anyway," came Sesshomaru's quiet confession; what little color there was to his face disappeared and left him alone in the bed, blending in with the starched white sheets.

The breath left Kouga's body in a woosh and he sat, deflated, in the chair beside Sesshomaru's sick bed. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. The wolf looked down at his clenched fists, waiting for some miraculous answer to come to him. It was a sorry picture they made, Sesshomaru a ghost in a hospital bed, and Kouga a hunched figure in a folding chair. Kouga's tan fists found there way up to the sheets, whereupon they promptly clenched portions of the bed covers within their grasp.

"I-I don't care, Sesshomaru," Kouga spat out, lowering his head as tears rolled down his cheeks; it was finally getting to him. His best friend was sick, in the hospital, and the world was falling apart around them, even outside the hospital. "I don't care that you feel guilty, I don't care! You're obviously not going to r-respond to anything I say, so how's this? It hurts us _more _to watch you d-doing this to yourself! We're your f-family, Sesshomaru, and we can't do this! Rin can't do this, Inuyasha and Shitora can't do this...man, I can't do this." As he said this, Kouga reached out and placed his hands atop Sesshomaru's, feeling the foreign bump of the IV beneath his palm. "Please, Sesshomaru, I'm beggging you. Stop this. Please."

The dog demon furrowed his brow as Kouga broke down in front of him; he hadn't seen Kouga cry since his mother died and he certainly hadn't expected Kouga to cry over him. The guilt was returning to the pits of his stomach even as he looked at Kouga, face pressed to the mattress at his side as tears wet the sheets.

"Kouga, I didn't mean-"

"You never mean to, Sesshomaru! You never mean to! I've been your best since we could walk and every single time you have a problem, you keep it to yourself and none of us know what's wrong, why you're hurting. And we can't help you because we don't understand and that _kills _us, Sesshomaru. It kills me. Every single time. Please...don't do this, man, none of us can take it anymore. We only want to help you because you're our friend and we love you and God help me if I don't sound like a huge fag right now, but goddamit, I love you, man. Too much to watch you doing this to yourself. If you won't recover for yourself, do it for us; at least it'll keep you alive to see your own wedding."

With this, Kouga rose so violently that the chair knocked back and, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand, he stormed out of the room, obviously exhausted for the day. Sesshomaru lay there, oh so silent, watching as his best friend fled the room. Even as he lived, the dog demon would never forget the sight of Kouga's tear stained face, pale rivulets amongst the tan of his skin, staring at him with those conflicted blue eyes torn between hate and love. The Fang leader leaned back against the pillows, staring still at the ceiling, however uninteresting it might've been.

"It's time to stop this," he said to aloud to himself. "I'm done."

And with this, the decision was made; Sesshomaru was done with this sickness.

Just as he decided this, there was a tentative knock on the door frame. He turned his gaze to find Rin standing there, shoulders hunched and the smell of tears fresh like dew on her cheeks and eyelashed. She looked beautiful to him, his beautiful little Rin with her delicate doll features and honest eyes. Her ruby red lips were turned down in a frown and her cheeks were pale, sallow almost. She was sick over him, he could see.

"Sesshomaru? Are you awake?"

"Yes, baby."

She crept closer, as though unsure of herself, but when she reached the bed there was no hesitation. She observed his cogniscent state and crawled atop the mattress, smiling at him as she arranged herself alonside his frail body. She placed the flat of her hand over his heart, smiling contently as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"A still beating heart. That's what I like in a man."

Sesshomaru, despite the closeness and serious quality of the moment, couldn't help but chuckle, albeit darkly. "Your standards will never change, I hope."

"Not when it comes to you."

"Are you going to yell at me?" he asked, sounding dull, though rather like a child.

"I wanted to, but I ran out of anger, so...can I just lay here? I feel like we haven't just laid together in a while," she said softly, closing her babydoll eyes as her warmth enveloped him.

Though tears threatened to come to Sesshomaru's own eyes, especially after evoking them from Kouga, he settled on a watery smile. "Of course."

"I love you Sesshomaru."

"I love you too, Rin."

Suddenly, penance seemed ridiculous to him; these weeks of no nourishment had been all for naught. Kouga was right; it hurt them more to see him unwell, something he most certainly couldn't stand for. The dog demon smile to himself, enclosing Rin's hand with his own. All was right. As right as it could've been, anyway. And that was all that mattered to him in the end.

9191919

_"Sympathizing with the likes of them...you got no pride in your own race!"_

_Gan cried out as the dark shadows closed in around her, clubs and guns and a whole matter of weapons upraised. They spared her no malicious chuckle as they descended down upon her, watching hungrily as she tried to move away from them, only to bump against the alley wall. _

_Akago tried to move but found himself frozen; his mouth opened in a desperate scream but no sound came out. His hands urged to reach her, his legs to go to her, but he could only watch as the first shot was fired and blood exploded in an artistic array from her chest..._

9191919

Akago shot up in bed, chest heaving and hands ice cold; the fine sheen of sweat on his brow had nothing to do with the summer breeze and he was well aware. He was suddenly pained and reached up a hand to his bruised and battered face; it was bleeding again. Though he knew the difference between dreams and reality, the overall vividness of the vision had stunned him into a rock solid fear. It was invading his chest like a poison, spreading through every organ and making his whole body ache. Though it was all rather improbable, as Gan could take care of herself and Akago would never be unable to protect her, the sight was one he would never forget, even if it had been so hatefully concocted by his own mind.

Blood fell in small splatters near his leg and the white haired boy remembered his face; with a sigh, he slid off the bed and walked towards the door, moonlight lighting his way as his feet met the hardwood. He passed his mirror on the way out and snorted; white hair in a messy braid, clad in only bed pants, face bleeding all over his hand; where was the fearless Shark leader now? Ever since he'd returned from the hospital with Gan those four hours ago, Akago had been questioning himself; if Sesshomaru could find himself completely weak and incapable, perhaps the same fate awaited the Shark.

The house was quiet though the sound of some snoring could be heard from the boys' quarters. It had become a Shark habit to leave the deck doors open at night and the breeze was creeping inside, creating a pleasant smell of sea air and the rosemary Halloween had cut from his herb garden.

Akago opened the kitchen cabinets, looking into the enormous first aid stash they'd become in the habit of keeping. He found bandaids and antiseptic, along with cotton balls and pain killers. He reached up to clean the cut when he discovered that his cheek was still incredibly swollen, so much that treating it with bandaids or anything like that was pointless.

"God, can she hit," he muttered, brain briefly returning to the picture he'd witnessed just before his face lost it's feeling: Gan, violet eyes burning and face outraged, preparing to punch as her blonde hair flew back. This provoked another snort from Akago, who realized that he found her attractive even when she was causing him pain.

The ice pack he scrounged up from the refrigerator did him good, but just barely; he resettled the white dishtowel on his face, glancing out the kitchen window at the beach. The lights were on at a beach house just a ways down and he could make out a couple dancing slowly in the moonlight with his demon vision. They looked so happy...it was beautiful. _Oh, lord. If I was ever going to question my sexuality, this is not the time; I would most certainly find myself gay. Gayer than...Marvin Gaye. I'm so tired I can't even come up with a good analogy. _

When something wet hit his foot, Akago returned his attention to his own kitchen, finding the white towel soaked with blood and his foot dotted with red. "Fuck!" he exclaimed softly, reaching up a tentative hand to his face. "Why won't this stop bleeding?"

"Akago?"

She approached so softly, it was a wonder she was human at all. Akago turned to find Gan padding softly towards him on the hard wood, bare feet pale beneath the hem of her bed gown; it was a filmy thing with a white silk slip inside, so angelic; she looked otherworldly, despite the tiredness in her violet eyes and the rumpled quality of her blonde locks. Akago barely knew what to say at first; he'd never seen her in a dress before and he couldn't say the sight displeased him.

"What are you doing up so late?" she asked when he never responded to her first question; she'd been awoken by a dream she daren't repeat in her mind and had a sudden urge to get out of her bedroom. It was haunted with the remnants of her nightmare and she was only hoping that, when she woke up in the morning, she wouldn't remember it at all.

Akago frowned and set down the soaked towel in the sink. "Nothing, I couldn't sleep after...well, I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither," she agreed quietly, hoping not to awaken the other demons in the house; she knew from experience that their sensetive hearing picked up anything and everything. Her eyes were just becoming used to the darkness when Akago turned his face away from her, facing the window secretively; it was too late, however. She saw the trails of red leaking down his face. If the bloody towel in the sink were any indication, lack of sleep wasn't his only motivation for this late night kitchen rendevouz.

"Akago, what's this?" she demanded, hurrying around the kitchen island towards him and squinting up at the sight of his cheek. He gave up trying to hide it and turned sheepishly to face her, revelaing the deep red rivulets and gaping wide gash on his cheek. Gan gasped despite herself; she'd known it was looking rather bad on the way home from the hospital, but she hadn't even noticed the cuts, barely. "My God, when did those get there? They weren't nearly that big earlier..."

"I don't know," Akago confessed. "I don't think you did it, though, so stop looking at me that way."

Embarrassed at being caught, Gan blinked away her guilty expression and adopted her usual stern one. "Well, let me look then. Did you get into some other fight on the way home or was I just not paying attention?" As she said this, Gan grabbed Akago by the chin and stared intently at the injury, not noticing the near longing in his eyes.

"I might have aggravated them in my sleep; I probably moved a little," he responded. There was no telling what sort of mad movements he'd made during that dream.

Gan shook her head slightly, eyes troubled. "Well, these are going to need stitches," she announced, allowing her hand to drop and rushing towards the first aid cabinet. "Have you put anything on it yet?"

"No."

"Good. I'm going to clean it with some alcohol to make sure it isn't infected; God knows what could've gotten in there by now."

Gan turned away to pour alcohol on a rag and Akago decided the give in to his manly temptations; he allowed his eyes to fall right to her backside. He hadn't taken a good look recently, but he had to admit; it was impressive. It probably had to do with her many years as a boy, during which she had to physically exceed most standards of her sex to keep her cover. In fact, Gan was overall incredibly fit; Akago smiled slightly as he continued to stare shamelessly. He may have hosted the mind of an aristocrat, but the sexual pull of his desires was too strong to deny. For now, he would just look. For a while, anyway.

"Hold still," Gan murmured, reaching up and soaking the cuts with alcohol. Though Akago flinched, he said nothing and only stared down at Gan, who had just begun to notice his gaze. "I know it hurts, sorry about that," Gan excused, thinking he was simply angered by the seering pain.

"It's not a problem," Akago replied, averting his gaze suddenly; she must have noticed he was staring at her cleavage.

"Let's get these stitches done," Gan murmured, averting her own gaze; he must have noticed she was staring at his naked abdomen.

_She'll never like me that way. _

_He'll never like me that way. _

_I should just give up..._

_But I can't._

9191919

"Kouga, what's the call on this Honda?"

"Where are this months appropriation lists, Kouga?"

"Hey, what do you want me to do with these left over spark plugs?"

"Kouga, hey-"

"I need you, Kouga-"

Kouga leaned back mournfully in his chair, ignoring the sound of fluttering paper as several bills and documents clattered to the ground in messy stacks. Ever since Sesshomaru's admittance into the hospital three days previously, he'd been swamped with work and questions as he took his temporary place at the head of the Southern Cores. Though it had always been understood that he would take Sesshomaru's place during times of crisis, no one had ever stopped to imagine Kouga as the ultimate leader. Theoretically, Kouga could handle every procedure and occurence that might take place under his rule, but this was all a bit different; Sesshomaru's illness was causing a stir that not even Kouga could deal with.

"Jeez, make a line or somethin'," Inuyasha complained as he manuevered his way around the mob near the work table. "He'll get to ya in a minute."

Kouga sighed and rubbed his blue eyes fretfully. "Don't make promises I can't keep, mutt."

Inuyasha restrained the urge to punch Kouga in the jaw for this nickname; it seemed to always set him off in the worst way. Biting his lips stiffly, Inuyasha allowed his hand to clench at his side; he would cut Kouga slack out of sheer pity, but the rest of his forgiveness wouldn't go so far. If Kouga insulted him one more time, there would be death to pay.

"You'll get to em, alright. Don't be a baby," Inuyasha replied when his anger had been successfully satiated.

Kouga let out another sigh, one of the only sounds he seemed to be emitting these days; he knew Inuyasha was only trying to be nice, a rare occurrence to be sure. If anything, Kouga could use a friend right now.

"Yeah, I will. Whadya think of this?" Kouga asked, pushing a piece of paper across the table towards Inuyasha.

The hanyou scratched dully at his bare chest as he glanced over the paper, silver hair blowing slightly in the wind from the resting fan. The paper was decorated with several cut-out letters from a magazine, letters which spelled out the following message: _"Demons go home."_

"Go home?" Inuyasha asked, brow furrowed. "Where is it that they think we're from exactly?"

Kouga shrugged and pulled the paper back to his side of the table. "I dunno. It was taped to the door when I got here this morning. But you know, a really dangerous guy woulda spraypainted or something, don't you think?"

"Every human is dangerous, man," Inuyasha replied quietly. The two sat in silence for a moment, thinking their own thoughts about the tense air of Japan. Finally, the boy murmured, "We should get to school. I don't need some kinda angry phone call from my old man when the semester ends and I have 9 skips."

Kouga nodded and gathered his things up from the table. "Hey, Yash, that reminds me: did you ever call your dad about Sesshomaru?"

The hanyou froze.

"Whoops."

9191919

"Macharyas, god damnit!"

Fennella sighed and placed her hands fretfully on her hips, still panting from the most recent run through. "Sorry."

"Can't you manage, like, a little grace? Just pretend your not an Amazon for a minute."

Mizumi actually winced at Shitora's comment; speaking of someone who could use a little grace. The elite dance team was currently utilizing their after school practice in the dance balcony, a location which was quickly becoming stuffy and hot with derision. The sixteen girl team was performing at a level which most would find competitive, but Shitora was obviously dissatisfied. Her choreography was physically exerting, though it seemed simple for her; every other move was a turn or a jump and the others were falling steadily behind. While the more skilled dancers could more or less handle the stress, Fennella was suddenly finding her lack of formal training quite crippling. She could perform every move without trouble, of course, or she never would've made the dance team; the real problem lay in her inability to carry herself with finesse, as Shitora didn't mind reminding her. The redhead looked away from the hanyou as she stormed up, shaking her fist murderously.

"Shape up Macharyas, or I swear to God..."

"Okay!" Mizumi interrupted, deciding to use her position as co-dance captain to intervene. "Let's take it from where we started last time, okay? Focus on turn out and staying over your feet."

Shitora turned immediately to the Dragon girl, muttering, "Who asked you to talk?"

The green haired girl did not reply and instead pressed the play button on the boom box, returning quickly to her position in the front row; they began. Triple pirouette, russian, high kick-

"Stop!"

Many of the girls let out frustrated sounds as they stopped mid-way into their next pirouette and dropped back down to earth. Shitora was in a foul mood, as the entire dance balcony was fully aware, but she'd become somewhat of a tyrant during their practice. It was already 6:20 and all they could think of was homework, tests, quizzes, boyfriends, dinner. Anything but dance; after two and a half hours, anything but dance.

But Shitora hadn't stopped thinking about dance all day in hopes that it might distract her from thinking about Sesshomaru. Her older brother was still in the hospital after these three days and she was becoming more confused by the hour; since when did her unbreakable brother need medical treatment around the clock? Why couldn't he just come home and they could all return to normal?

"Your russians were pathetic; I know your more flexible than that, ladies," Shitora scolded, amber eyes fierce and sad; perhaps if she danced harder and yelled louder, Sesshomaru's pale form beneath cold white sheets would stop infiltrating her concious.

"It's already 6:20, Shitora, can we please go home?" one of the girls asked, out of breath and tired.

Her white ponytail swished officiously as she strutted up to the boom box, spandex booty shorts shaking rhythmically back and forth. "Not until you get this right."

"C'mon, Fennella, figure it out," someone hissed, earning a stern look from Mizumi; due to Shitora's unwanted attention, the others were now supposing that it was predominantly the lion's fault that they were still slaving away.

The music began again and this time, the girls carried a renewed since of heat; Shitora finally let them continue past the problem section and the team thrived, moving in complete unison as they danced gracefully across the balcony, drum beat honing in on their feet as they turned, split and kicked. Mizumi watched her hip position carefully in the mirror and was just about to turn a pirouette when she made out the sight of someone struggling in the back of the troupe. A little blonde head was bobbing as a smaller girl tried to keep up with the pack, finding it nearly impossible as they dissolved straight into a leap. Mizumi frowned and began watching the girl out of the corner of her eye; she was much smaller than the other girls, but well built like dancers tended to be. Her turn-out was fabulous, but she looked sadly out of breath.

Shitora seemed to notice the straggler as well, but held her tongue; that girl would hear about it later, she decided. Right now, Shitora could only think of meeting up with Ranbou in the parking lot and going to get a distracting hamburger, whereafter she would hopefully have some distracting homework to do, before or after a distracting make-out session.

Meanwhile, the football team was finally coming in after a late practice, covered in mud and grit from the torn up fields; a recent rain storm had made the ground wet and sludgy, much to their dismay. Their cleats clicked on the tile floor as they made their way through the main building, hoping to avoid the upcoming storm by staying indoors. The team was silent, as they had been since Sesshomaru's collapse that monday. Ranbou sighed heavily, wiping a smudge of dirt from his cheek; he was trying to hold them all together, but Sesshomaru was their leader off the field and not even Ranbou could compete with that. Ryuukoytsusei glanced at Ranbou and snorted quietly to himself; the wolf was beginning to struggle under the pressure.

Inuyasha glanced up at the Dragon and asked rudely, "What? You got somethin' to say?"

"Yash," Kouga pleaded, giving the hanyou a significant glance; he was in no mood for Inuyasha's attitude.

"I was just askin'," Inuyasha shot back, mud decorating his white hair nastily. "If he's got somethin' to say, he should say it, not just snort like an asshole."

Ryuukoytsusei rolled his eyes; he couldn't even find it in himself to be insulted because the charge was so mundane and ridiculous. "My apologies for not saying everything that comes into my head like you, Taisho."

Inuyasha was about to respond when Bankotsu put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head; they all knew from personal experience what could happen when Ryuu actually _was _offended. The team continued through the dark hallways, passing lockers and trophy cases until they saw a light in the distance; it was spilling into the hallway from a large window, one which they knew belonged to the dance balcony.

"Are they still here?" Kouga wondered aloud, glancing at his brother.

Ranbou only shrugged and when they boys drew nearer, they could hear the faint traces of music even through the sound proof glass. It was the strains of "Higher Ground" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers; the dance team was still inside, dancing in perfect unison, turning and jumping and generally outperforming artists many years their elder. The football team stopped before the window and began to watch, finding themselves suddenly entranced and mightily surprised; they had yet to see many of the girls dance and it was more than a wake-up call for several.

Ranbou's eyes grew rather wide and he let out a soft, "Whoah." Shitora had been quiet and withdrawn since Sesshomaru's admission into the hospital, but she was certainly anything but at the current time. Her face was light, eyes happy and smile faint, but it was all there; the signs of love. She seemed to be the best dancer in the room, if ability and position had anything to do with it; this was when Ranbou's eyes caught sight of the girl next to her. _Scratch that, second best dancer, _he thought regretfully to himself. The little green haired girl next to her was practically dancing circles around Shitora, even though she seemed unoffensive and relaxed. There was nothing affontive about her, but even as she twirled, she exuded excellence.

"Shit, Shitora's really good," Inuyasha murmured, brow furrowed; he didn't know anything explicit about his sister's career, except that she'd unpacked a box of trophies. He figured dance trophies were something like recreational soccer trophies, multiple and on every teenager's shelf. But now he could see that perhaps she was more competitive than he'd first imagined.

"So's the chick next to her," Manten pointed out, using his chubby finger to designate the green haired girl in the front row.

"Don't point at my sister," Ryuu grunted gruffly, batting away the boy's hand as he continued to watch with grim satisfaction; she was indeed the best.

When the football team turned to regard Ryuu with incredulous glances, the dragon showed no sign that the attention bothered him. In fact, he released a small smile and the other boys shivered; that was most definitely not normal. Their attention was diverted, however, when a loud crash exploded from inside the dance balcony and a piercing scream accompanied it shortly after. The boys whipped back around to face the window and were met with the sight of a smashed boom box laying in ruins on the floor, it's pieces scattered across the hardwood. Shitora was standing, hand still poised from the blow she'd delivered, with a murderous rage in her amber eyes.

"Macharyas! I TOLD YOU," she began, growling with a vengeful rage as she stalked dangerously towards Fennella in the back of the troupe. The lion looked rather surprised and as though she didn't know what to do; she stood stock still, watching Shitora approaching her with a deep pain in her eyes.

"Shitora, stop!" Mizumi shouted immediately, sprinting after her fellow dance captain and grabbing her arm with demon strength at her aid. Even as Mizumi's clawed hand enclosed around Shitora's bicep, the dragon knew she was about to endure copious amounts of pain. She closed her eyes, preparing for the impact.

Shitora didn't even make a sound as she delivered a vicious hit to Mizumi's face, tearing her eyes away as Mizumi fell like a sack of rocks to the floor and rolled slightly, gasping as blood poured down her face. Fennella snapped into action and and was just stepping forward to deal Shitora a blow in return when she found herself dragged bodily backwards by a pair of strong, muddy arms.

"Don't even think about it, Fenn," Bankotsu growled in her ear, still retaining his hold as the lioness wrenched her body back and forth, roaring as only a lion could. Despite the fact that Bankotsu would've liked nothing more than to watch Shitora get her face rearranged, he knew that aiding Mizumi was a definite no-no in front of her brother. In that case, he would help in the only way he could by restraining the only girl he would willingly touch.

"Sukini, cut it out!" Ranbou shouted commandingly, wrapping his arms around Shitora's waist and hauling her backwards whilst she swiped blindly out with her claws, screaming bloody murder.

Inuyasha rushed forward and stood before Shitora, grabbing her chin in his hand and demanding fridigly, "Stop right there, imouto, or yer gonna be in a world of hurt."

When met with the amber eyes of her brother, ones that looked just like her own, just like Sesshomaru's, Shitora suddenly paused in her clawing and stared, desperate and lost, into Inuyasha's face. Ranbou, rather surprised by her radical transformation, glanced down at her and saw the beginning stages of teardrops forming in the corner of her eyes.

Rolling his own eyes, the wolf muttered, "Yeah, that's right, let's have a public smackdown and then a breakdown to spice up the entree. I think we're calling it a day, Sukini." With this, he began pushing the girl forcefully towards the doorway, despite the fact that her feet weren't even moving as she found her body swept away.

Ryuukoytsusei, meanwhile, was crouched down on the floor beside Mizumi as she gathered herself together, hand still clamped over her nose as she attempted to stop the blood from flowing over her lips; puddles of red were collecting around her knees on the floor, ruining her dance tights.

"I'm okay," she murmured, voice muted and dulled by the injury.

Ryuu felt the beginnings of an all-consuming rage creeping up into his subconcious and he shut his crimson eyes tightly; he was trying to restrain the urge to pummel the nearest Taisho, only because Mizumi hated the violence of his fighting tendencies. In keeping with her wishes, Ryuu drew his dark desires inside himself and smothered them like a cloth over fire. He listened carefully to the sound of Ranbou's heavy cleat-steps and Shitora's dragging toes as they exited the dance balcony. The lion girl stopped struggling and her feet therefore quit their tapping on the wood. Several cleats shifted this way and that, feeling suddenly as though they were ruining the floor. The other dancers were so confused and frightened by the scene that many of them hadn't moved a single inch since the fight began.

"So this would explain how you come home fucking cut up from _dance _practice," Ryuu said under his breath, offering Mizumi a hand, which she accepted slowly. She was avoiding meeting his eyes and instead focusing on her feet; her jazz shoes were soaked with blood.

The other boys failed to hear this as they relaxed their muscles; the violence came to a close and they then looked awkwardly around the room, nodding to girls they knew and shifting back and forth in their uniforms.

"How long has this been going on?" Inuyasha asked, voice hoarse and tone belaying the obvious trouble he was having believing Shitora's cruelty.

"This is the first time," Mizumi blurted out, shaking her head slightly, whether it be from her nose or the self-doubt at the fact that she was lying to a Taisho. "She's just having a bad week because of Sesshomaru-san, it's not a big deal, I'm cool with it."

Ryuu and Fenn both turned to Mizumi with stunned expressions on their faces, opening their mouths to protest when she shook her head more vehemently. She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have Ryuukoytsusei think less of her because of cruel treatment. What if Inuyasha never talked to Shitora again? He would be ashamed, Mizumi knew, as Shitora was being rather cowardly and cowardice didn't sit well with dog demons. If anything, she was just trying to keep the peace.

Inuyasha looked skeptical and rose an eyebrow, asking tentatively, "You're sure?"

"Yeah, it's totally cool, don't worry about it, I should go clean up," Mizumi managed to get out. With this, she walked quickly towards the door, hand still settled over her bloody nose. As she exited, an uncomfortably cool wind swept around the place and the teenagers shivered, knowing that something meaningful had transpired during those few minutes.

As soon as Mizumi was out of hearing range, Ryuu turned to Inuyasha with a look so frightening on his face, that several of the girls gasped and stumbled back, shivering from the darkness there. "Keep your sister under control or I'll rip her to pieces and leave her body parts in a dark alley. Step wrong with me, and you'll be next. Don't cross me, Taisho, or my sister. Or all of you will pay."

With this, Ryuu followed hot on Mizumi's heels, ragged green ponytail swaying dangerously back and forth as he exited. Another silence consumed the group as they exchanged glances, some of them in muddy football uniforms and others in scant dance wear. Finally, Bankotsu cleared his throat and life resumed inside the dance balcony, bringing with it many awkward goodbyes as the football players exited and the dancers began packing up their things. This encounter certainly did not bode well for the dance team.

In the parking lot, Ranbou was still practically dragging Shitora as he manuevered her towards the car, her bags as well as his own in his arms. When Shitora wouldn't even open the car door for herself, eyes still wide and confused, Ranbou threw the bags to the ground and furrowed his brow angrily.

"Okay, that's it, what the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded.

Shitora raised her gaze to meet Ranbou's, those ice blue eyes capturing her as they always did. "Nothing."

"Well, then what were you thinking back there, actually hitting that girl? Are you out of your fucking mind? Those girls didn't do shit to you and there you went, just ready to smack a bitch for some kinda dance problem. That's nuts, Sukini," Ranbou countered, throwing his arms akimbo and subsequently causing droplets of mud to fly this way and that.

"Oh, you're one to lecture me on the subject of unnecessary fighting," Shitora replied sarcastically, suddenly finding her voice as the outrage kicked in. Her white hair blew gently to the side as the evening wind increased, rolling across the near empty parking lot.

Ranbou growled, "I don't know what yer talkin' about."

"Oh don't you?" Shitora hissed, taking threatening steps towards him as she bit out her words. "You can't handle what happened this summer so you're taking it out on every poor fuck who steps wrong around you. You're gone every single night, Ranbou, and don't think I don't know. You keep on saying 'stay with me on this,' but you can't even stay with yourself. You're an assassin, not a pyschopath, so stop acting like you're a five year old child with an anger problem!" Her words were mincing and high pitched, grating with desperation as she gritted her fangs, shutting her eyes to the world.

Ranbou looked struck for a moment before he recovered with wrath at his aid. "This ain't about me, this is about you. I can kill assholes, Sukini, that's not a problem. You can't just go beating up nice girls in school; that's wrong and you know better."

"Don't lecture me," Shitora roared, eyes tinting a threatening orange. "I'm handling my problems the way I know how. That girl is in my way and it's no one's fault but hers."

The wolf snorted. "Do you hear yourself talkin', Sukini? You sound like Naraku with your 'it's all their fault, I'm just takin' out the trash' crap. I'm sorry about what happened to Shomo, I really am, but everyone else is handling it like an adult and you should follow their example."

"I'm not your kindergarten student!" the hanyou screeched, giving Ranbou a threatening push to the chest. "You don't know how the hell I feel about Sesshomaru and it's none of your business!"

"I'm your boyfriend, Sukini, I'm trying to help you!" Ranbou replied loudly, eyes desperate and hands tense.

"Well go help yourself! Go tell someone's mom that you were just taking out some frustration when you saw their son and remembered that he once took a Fang's hubcaps and you shanked him! At least I'm not a killer!" came Shitora's air-splitting return.

Ranbou screamed, "I kill for you!" throwing his arms down in a frustrated gesture as his claws began protruding even further from his fingertips. "I kill for you and for my family and your family and our friends, for everything we have! You think I like offing these guys? That I like not gettin' any sleep and running around town like some kind of psycho? I hate killing! They always expect me to do it because I'm the only one that can handle it when really I can't; I do it anyway, though, because I'm not a little baby in dance class whining about how I'm not the best!"

"Like hell you can't handle it, you've got the emotional capacity of a rock," Shitora cried out, whiping her arm across her eyes as the tears began to prick. "What about killing can't you handle? You do it so much that you're not even a real man any more. I should have known bet-" But she was interrupted by crass, crude words of raw, fresh anxiety.

"I kill those assholes just like they killed my mom and it makes me want to rip my own heart out!"

The truth was piercing and cold, like the blade of a knife slipping easily into the sheath of human flesh. Shitora choked on the foreign notion and stared at Ranbou with eyes so hurt, not even he could stand the sight of them. Words bubbled up in her dry throat. "Wait, what? You...Ran, I..."

She stumbled over her protest, her guilt, her confusion. Ranbou turned his rugged face away, strands of ink black hair obscuring his eyes from view. "Forget about it. It's not like you give a shit since I don't have the emotional capacity to care. My bad. All those times I said I loved you? I was lying. Have a great life, Shitora."

Shitora's eyes grew wide and her breathing stopped for a single, solitary moment; he was turning away, he was leaving. He didn't love her, he was leaving, he was getting in the car, he was leaving her. _Wait, I need to think (he doesn't love me) I need to think about this for a minute (he's leaving) before he just drives away and we don't (he doesn't love me) settle this. I can't do this without him, Ranbou, Sesshomaru, no please (don't leave me) I can't (please love me) I don't think I can...Ranbou please..._

The screeching of tires didn't serve to snap Shitora from her trance and the tears leaked naked down her face as Ranbou disappeared from sight, the jet black fins disappearing behind the school fence as the smoke billowed from the tailpipe. The absence of sound was louder than the screaming of thousands as Shitora lost feeling in her hands. He didn't love her? Wait...

"He doesn't...he really doesn't...oh my god," Shitora whispered, clasping her hand to her heart as it gave a sharp, painful throb. She'd never stopped to think about what would happen if Ranbou stopped loving her. She'd become so used to the feeling of love surrounding her, just like the comfort of a blanket, that the sudden chilling cold was causing her to burn. She felt delicate, as though her little heart and soul would shatter if she even touched them lightly. She was alone, standing stupid in the middle of the parking lot. Her bags were at her feet and everything was at an end. Her perfect summer fairytale was at an end and it was all her fault.

"Shitora, what the hell were you thin-" Inuyasha yelled as he came storming out of the main building, preparing to demand the truth until he realized the scene before him was wrong. Ranbou's parking space was empty and Shitora was standing there like a doll, bags strewn about the ground and arms completely limp. She was so still, so strange, it was as though she was made completely of glass. "Tora?"

When Shitora turned to face her brother, the pain in her eyes nearly choked him like two little hands around his neck. "He left. He said he didn't love me and he left. He doesn't love me," she babbled, voice quiet and child like.

Inuyasha hurried towards her, furrowing his brow in confusion. "Wait, what? You're not making any sense."

"He...he doesn't...he doesn't love me. He doesn't love me and it's all my fault."

Inuyasha's eyes grew dark with worry as he began to put together her mutterings; obviously, she and Ranbou had been in a fight and said thing they didn't mean. It was there, plain as day, every time they so much as looked at it each other; it frankly made Inuyasha sick to watch the love pouring off them like rain, but he never said a word. Now, as he stood dumbly in the school parking lot with his broken little sister, Inuyasha was beginning to realize how different things would be if all this were true. Shitora was shaking and he didn't know how to comfort her; Sesshomaru always did things like that. He didn't know what to do without Sesshomaru.

"Get in the car, let's go visit Shomo," he said finally; if he couldn't handle things alone, Inuyasha would simply take Shitora to the hospital where their leader was now laying, sick. Even a sick Sesshomaru was far better than anyone else.

"He left me," Shitora whispered, looking suddenly alarmed.

"Fuck Ranbou, Sesshomarui is still here," Inuyasha growled, dragging Shitora towards his Lamborghini. "Get in the car and shut up."

"He...he doesn't..."

Inuyasha started the engine, not getting nearly the high he normally got from that gentle but powerful purr. As he drove out of the parking lot, the previous night's rain resumed and splattered dimly on his windshield. Shitora could only stare out the window, face pressed against the glass as a single solitary thought parted from her lips.

"Ranbou doesn't love me."

9191919

**Wow, that's a lot of fun. I think I'm gonna go off myself now. Kidding. **

**This was a pivotal chapter for a lot of reasons, but you probably won't get it until later; I write with too many intricacies and it gets all tangled and weird, so sorry about that. I had Shitora and Ranbou go away for a while so that I can make myself focus elsewhere. I think they're pretty much done; they were a bad couple anyway, like, a bad match. But look forward to SangoxMiroku...?**

**Yep, kidding again. I'm a funny one. You know I would never really break them up, but fights are so delicious. And in all reality, it makes them go away so that I can look at Sesshomaru and Bankotsu and all that good stuff. Don't worry about it. Thanks to all my reviewers and those of you who apologized, don't worry about that either; I'm cool, I was just being difficult. You're forgiven no sweat. **

**KOLU**


	9. Forró

**This chapter ate my lunch; I hope it's believable. Love you guys; read on.**

9191919

_Forró: A Brazilian dance which celebrates passion, love, jealousy, and reminiscing about an ex-lover._

9191919 

"It's healing alright; if it looks fucked up, we'll go to the Gun tomorrow."

Ryuu let go of Mizumi's face, sighing as she winced. It was the day after her dance brawl and, if not the large bruise discoloring the area of flesh near her nose, it was almost impossible to tell that anything was amiss. The brother and sister were currently sitting in their kitchen as the sound of stir-fry sizzled on the stove; Shale's thin shoulders were bent artistically over the burners, her hair tied up in a loose ponytail as she worked busily away on the meat and vegetables. She wasn't sure if there was any pepper in the cupboard, seeing as though she'd used a liberal amount on the previous night's pot-roast, but she could always dodge into her apartment and grab some; the hole in the wall was proving to be a nice little addition to their living space.

Ever since the day of Madozu, the Tousen siblings and Shale had worked their way into a very peaceful coexistence, one in which Shale cooked and Mizumi did the shopping. Ryuu was useful for fixing broken appliances (which the beaten down apartment complex seemed to have a lot of) and providing strong, if not tacit, protection. It was a well known fact that the entire complex was filled top to bottom with Dragons and, while Shale didn't have the knowledge to be truly afraid, her newfound close proximity to the leader of a gang seemed to make life all the more simple. With the Tousens at her aid, she no longer had to limp her way to school; South Tokyo High was a simple car ride away. Everything was working out for Shale Johannsen, despite the gloomy look it had taken on during her first week in Tokyo. Truly, she couldn't be happier.

As for Mizumi, she was thrilled to have a mother and/or big sister figure running the household. Ryuu and Shale were providing her with the role models and love she'd always needed. Ryuu's feelings about the living arrangement were generally unspoken, like so many of his opinions, but Mizumi knew her brother well enough to understand this: Shale's presence was one of the few he could tolerate and one of the five he actually encouraged. As long as Shale made herself useful, Mizumi had a feeling she would be a rather permanent part of their lifestyle. Besides that, Ryuu was a sucker for good cooking.

"It's puffy," Mizumi said, almost to herself, as she examined her reflection in a handheld mirror, which lay amongst antiseptic, a thermometer, and painkillers on the table. She was currently taking stock of her bruise, which seemed to have leaked like an oil spill across the entire left side of her face.

While Ryuu said nothing, a rather sharp sound echoed from the kitchen as Shale pulled out three plates and three sets of silverware; her motions were loud and pronounced, as were her arm motions. Mizumi watched the girl's back curiously, irritated that she couldn't see her face. Without a word, Shale forked helpings of stir-fry onto each plate and removed her apron with a frightening whip crack.

"Shale?" Mizumi asked finally, cocking her porcelain face curiously to the side. "What's wrong?"

Ryuu entered the living room, pulling a white wife beater over his head. He too had been alerted by Shale's impertinent kitchen noise, a rather new sound; she was normally delicate and careful when she cooked, precise and doll-like at all costs. It was simply the way she moved.

"Nothing," Shale said, trying to sound light but unintentionally allowing a hint of bitterness to creep into her voice. The plate appeared before Mizumi with a rather hard smack and the Dragon girl jumped before quickly gathering her napkin and utensils, lest she end up like that plate; she had never seen Shale mad and had no idea what kind of injuries it might cause.

Ryuu watched Shale carefully as she limped distractedly back and forth from the table to the kitchen and back again, setting two more places before she mumbled a prayer and crossed herself dutifully. She plopped down in her seat and began her dinner, blonde fringe obscuring her eyes from view as she ate with a surprising veracity.

"What crawled up your ass and died?" he asked finally, cocking his dark eyebrow as he too sat down and dug into his stir-fry, perfectly seasoned as always.

Shale glanced up reprovingly at him, as though admonishing him for using such language. Though he was normally offended by people scolding him, Ryuu had to admit that he got a kick out Shale's scandalized nature; no one had ever reacted to him quite the way she did. "Nothing is currently up my butt, but thank you for asking," she said aloofly. With this she returned to her food, looking as though the conversation was closed.

"You're mad, aren't you?"

At Mizumi's question, Shale unintentionally banged her fist on the table, causing the silverware and plates to rattle. "No, I'm not."

"Like hell," came Ryuu's grunted reply. He sounded as though he found it all rather funny. "What's your problem?"

Not at all offended, as she'd learned that this was just Ryuukoytsusei's way, Shale replied dully, "I'm just a little annoyed by Mizumi getting hurt, that's all."

There was an awkward silence at the table, broken only by the humming of the fluorescent light and the scraping of metal on porcelain. Finally, Ryuukoytsusei murmured quietly, "I took care of it; it won't happen again."

While his words were frightening, Shale only glanced up and asked worriedly, "Are you sure? She doesn't seem like she'd give up that easily." Mizumi glanced up unsurely at the blonde; apparently, she hadn't caught the dangerous edge in Ryuu's voice or she would've known just how taken care of things were. No one disobeyed her brother if they valued their life and Shitora Taisho had certainly been around long enough to know that.

Ryuu just shrugged and replied dully, "I'm sure."

As Shale gave one last worried glance and then returned her gaze to her food, Ryuukoytsusei allowed his eyes to linger on her face; she was so delicate, like a flower or glass. From the slope of her nose to the blue of her eyes, Shale was one of the most beautiful people a man was likely to see simply walking the streets of Tokyo. She was a creature of wonder...all besides that limp. What was the story behind that anyway? Even after weeks with her, no one in Tokyo knew the story. The Dragon snorted and shoveled some stir fry around his plate; apparently he wasn't the only one with secrets.

9191919

"South Tokyo High School, Principal's office. May I ask who's calling?

The secretary chattered away and began taking notes on a paper pad, nylon legs crossed elegantly across one another. The high school office was busier than most, noticed a man in the waiting room; he was used to a certain level of apathy from the educational system. The man had a head of curly blue hair, the color of an ocean, and his eyes were a surprising cotton candy pink. He was dressed rather like a college boy, though he looked to be about twenty eight; ripped jeans and a button down were his clothing of choice. He tapped his tan hands uselessly on his legs and glanced nervously around; he'd been waiting for maybe twenty minutes and it was making him anxious.

"Thank you for your time, Sesshomaru; I'm glad to see your health intact."

The principal's office opened to reveal an elegant silver haired boy, dressed in a crisp school uniform with tie perfectly folded. He looked rather thin, though there was undoubtedly a healthy pallor to his cheeks; his eyes seemed chipper, if nothing else.

"Thank you, Sensei," he said in a low monotone, nodding to the man inside before brushing past the waiting man and breezing out the door. He left behind him a scent of mint and sickness, one which the blue haired man would forever associate with Sesshomaru Taisho, even after his complete recovery.

"Ah, Pierre-san. Sorry to keep you waiting."

A tall blonde man, hair pulled back in an elegant ponytail, smiled kindly at the newcomer. The blue haired demon leapt to his feet and bowed his head slightly. "Apollo is fine, I'm not old enough for 'san' yet." His voice was young and gruff, almost playful.

Numa Shikaruni smiled and beckoned the man inside his office, closing the door behind him. "I trust you're getting moved in alright?"

"Fine, yeah. Nice place over on Nagini way," Apollo replied, taking a seat in one of the uncomfortable chairs before the principal's desk. The entire room was navy blue and smelled like office paper. Shikaruni took his own seat in a plush revolving chair, templing his fingers thoughtfully.

"Have you looked over the terms of your employment contract?" the blonde asked.

"Yeah," Apollo replied. "No problems or anything."

"Good. In that case, why don't we take a look at the facilities you'll be working with?" the principal asked, smiling brightly as he stood resolutely to his feet. "I'm sure you'll be...impressed."

Wondering what the principal meant by this, Apollo rose as well and followed the principal out into the hallway. The blue haired man cocked an eyebrow as they passed three delinquent looking boys arguing with the vice principal; one of them had his lip and nose pierced. Suddenly Apollo wasn't getting such a good idea about this whole idea.

"The theater class is small and you shouldn't have much to worry about there," Shikaruni explained as they walked. "As far as the productions go, you're focus and anxiety will probably be there. The auditions for the first musical need to happen in two weeks."

Apollo faltered slightly, looking like he was about to choke on non-existent food. "Two weeks? You're joking. I don't even know these kids, I haven't see them act or heard them sing, haven't even met them! I don't have a production picked out, or a set, or anything! Things like this take time, Shikaruni-san!"

"Numa is fine, I'm not old enough for 'san' yet," the principal countered, smiling mysteriously as Apollo spluttered behind him.

"Well, fine then! Numa, I can't put together a production in two weeks!" By this time, Apollo's pink eyes were wide with frustration.

"I'm not asking you to put together an entire production in two weeks, Apollo; I'm asking you to think about how to put it together later," the principal replied, shrugging as though this were old hat to him. They neared the large double doors of the theater and the elegant blonde smiled. "Welcome to your new home, my friend."

As the doors swung wide open, a cloud of dust actually kicked up on the door frame and Apollo waved it dismissively away, staring around at his proposed sanctuary. The theater, contrary to the rest of South Tokyo High, seemed to be a cuss pool of un-funded trash. The seats were covered in a garish red velvet, torn by years of abuse, and the gold metal was an unpolished brown. The rafters were high and dark in the shadows of the roof, creaking under the weight of the sky even as the two men stood below; the carpet, Apollo noticed, was stained in several places by tasteless black ink. The stage was a disaster; covered in dust, dirt, tape and the remnants of the only shows South Tokyo had ever seen those many years ago, it resembled a trashy street more so than an actual stage. The stage lights flickered on laboriously as Shikaruni flipped a light switch on the wall, illuminating the dimness with an air of bitter pride.

"As you can see, you've got your work cut out for you, Apollo," he said conversationally, smiling.

Apollo stared dumbly around the theater. "I quit."

"You haven't even started yet."

"Oh."

The two men stood there, staring at the glum theater, before Apollo sighed and murmured, "So you want me to put on a musical?"

"Yes sir," Numa nearly laughed.

Another sigh escaped Apollo's mouth before he breathed, "Fine. But my sister is gonna get it; all Polly could talk about was South Tokyo's great arts program and their beautiful campus. As far as my sister is concerned, she is officially denied a plate at thanksgiving. This is going to be impossible.:"

"I have faith in you," Numa replied over his shoulder as he exited through the doors from whence they'd come.

"Yeah. That makes one of us," Apollo murmured to himself, shaking his head. 

9191919

Mizumi arched her back elegantly, creating a perfect semi circle as her hand touched the bar behind her. The dance balcony was filled with its normal thrum of female chatter, but today's gossip was focused on one target and one target only. A blush rose to Mizumi's cheeks as someone whispered her name rather loudly; unfortunately, Shitora's punch was still fresh on everyone's minds. It was fresh on Mizumi's face as well, having occurred only two days ago. It was healing nicely, but was in a rather gruesome green and black stage. She couldn't wait for the blasted thing to simply disappear; every time Shale and her brother looked at her, they turned away, eyes livid.

"That looks bad-ish," Fennella mentioned, arriving at the bar beside Mizumi and stretching her legs languidly. Her red curls dipped low over the bar as she bent forward, green eyes still focused on her friend.

Mizumi shrugged. "It could've been worse, I guess. I mean...I'm lucky I still have my face."

"Me too," Fennella murmured, still remembering the sight of Shitora stalking towards her. "Um, look; I meant to say this before, but I was kinda...well, anyway...thanks for standing up for me like that. I thought she was gonna kill me."

The dragon girl smiled kindly, crimson eyes sparkling despite the bruised cloud around them. "No problem; what are friends for?"

"Money lending," Fennella sniggered.

The two girls laughed but were interrupted as the door swung open and a dark cloud descended upon the dance balcony. Shitora stomped in, ignoring the silence which washed over the other girls as she entered; nothing seemed to matter anymore. Her break-up with Ranbou had become the talk of the school the next day, especially when they passed each other in the hall, silent as ships in the night. Just the sight of him made Shitora want to cry and Ranbou had been decidedly silent since the whole event. Naturally, girls especially had taken quite an interest in the terminated love-affair and, now, Shitora stood against the bar stretching her ham-strings. The bags under her amber eyes were telling, as were the pale sallows of her cheeks. The girls around her began to murmur nervously, whispering behind their hands as though she couldn't hear every word spoken.

"She looks awful," Mizumi said quietly, looking almost pitying as she unconsciously stopped stretching.

Fennella snorted. "Oh yeah, my heart just breaks. You know what? Let her be all quiet and sad for a while; she could use some let-down. That's one thing about the Taishos; everything goes right for them and they never have to work. Maybe she needs to work for a while, ne?"

Mizumi sighed. Her crimson eyes traveled far away as she whispered, "That's funny; I haven't watched a single good thing happen to them since I got here."

"What's that?" Fennella asked curiously; as far as she was concerned, the Taishos were a lucky lot.

"Well," Mizumi began, "Right off the bat, Sesshomaru was sick. And then Inuyasha's girlfriend got hurt by Kagura and her friends. I know Bankotsu and Kouga are always fighting with Inuyasha and the Fangs are starting to lose faith in Sesshomaru too. And then Shitora wasn't the best in her dance class and she punched me. Then she and Ranbou broke up. Sesshomaru's in the hospital. It's all gone to hell, I think."

When Mizumi began to stretch once more, Fennella lowered her eyebrows and cocked her head to the side. How could this little dragon-girl, with her cut up face and deep pains, possibly find kindness and pity in her heart for her enemy? It wasn't in the lion's make-up to feel love for her rivals, that was for sure; could dragons, of all species, actually like the ones they hated?

"Line-up," Shitora said dully, not even sparing the others a glance as they walked slowly to their places, seeming reluctant to follow their wayward leader. "We're working on the bon-fire dance today, so listen carefully; I don't want to repeat this a bunch of times or else Polly-sensei might catch us and I don't wanna deal with that shit."

Shitora began dancing slightly to herself, working out moves at half-speed as the girl's behind her whispered and shook their heads judgmentally. Though the girls weren't actually friends of Mizumi's, it bothered them to see one leader physically assault the other. Though Polly-sensei hadn't heard the entire story as of yet, she knew there was a possible connection between her class's silence and Mizumi's bruise. As far as she saw it, the girls would work it out amongst themselves. Hopefully.

Mizumi leaned towards Fennella and asked quietly, "What's the bonfire dance?"

Fenella snorted, crossing her freckled arms sarcastically. "Only the sluttiest dance this side of America. Every year there's this big bonfire before the football playoffs; it's put on by seniors and the dance team always does a really slutty porn-show for the crowd."

"Porn?" Mizumi echoed, eyes wide and afraid.

"Well, not actual porn," Fennella said quickly. "I just mean, like...a Christina Aguilera video but a little worse; it wouldn't pass censors to get on television, but we keep our underwear on."

"That's reassuring," Mizumi replied wryly, shaking her head; of course Shitora had choreographed this dance on her own. Though Mizumi could shake her hips, dancing like a slut wasn't her biggest talent. She preferred to just learn the dance and follow in line this time; there was nothing technical about grinding your butt against some guy's crotch, she decided. Shitora stopped dancing and addressed the crowd.

"Okay, the first four counts are a hip switch, back roll, then just pop lock and drop it."

At the sound of these instructions, Mizumi lowered her eyebrows and began walking discreetly towards the doorway. Or at least "discreet" had been the quality she'd hoped to achieve.

"And where the hell are you going?" came Shitora's crass drawl.

Mizumi glanced over her shoulder, finding the hanyou's angry yellow eyes staring intently at her own in the mirror. Mizumi cleared her throat and replied, "Nurse; my ankle hurts."

Without another word, Shitora returned her gaze to the other girls and began teaching them the raunchy steps as they mimicked her dutifully. Mizumi barely even spared the disgusting dance a look before hurrying out of the room, feeling downright giddy that she'd lied and gotten out before she actually had to learn it. The halls were quiet during last period with only the sound of occasional footsteps or the droning of teachers. Dance wouldn't end for another two hours, so Mizumi figured she might as well take a break before the real trouble began.

Just as Mizumi turned the corner, she ran into someone's rock solid chest and was about to fall backwards when they caught her quickly around the waist.

"You skipping class too?"

Mizumi opened her frantically closed eyes to find the handsome face of Bankotsu Hiashi smiling down at her, crimson eyes warm and friendly as always. She let out a whoosh of breath; she'd been expecting a teacher or one of the scarier gang members. Fortunately, it was only her secret friend and confidant.

"Hey," she breathed, regaining her footing and playing with the hem of her shirt. "Yeah, they started doing some slutty dance and I thought I'd get out of there before I got so embarrassed I cried."

Bankotsu chuckled and shook his head, marveling over the girl before him. He was secretly running amess inside; he'd been hoping to run into her over the past few days but luck had yet to be on his side. Finally, they had some time to talk.

"I was about to go take a smoke behind the gym, wanna come?" he asked hopefully, watching as she grinned.

"Yeah, sure; I've got time to kill."

The pair walked quietly down the hallway, footsteps like separate claps, until they reached the end of the hallway; the industrial double doors gave way beneath Bankotsu's strength and they entered the sunny fields of South Tokyo High school. The gym was situated in such a way that it was the last building on the campus lot. Because of this, the land behind it was relatively undeveloped and was nothing more than a poorly kept field. Bankotsu retrieved a box of cigarettes from his pocket, tapping them lightly before drawing one calculatively from the pack. Mizumi watched him intently, rocking back and forth on her heels with the feeling of the cold concrete porch beneath her.

"You want one?" he asked, holding the box towards Mizumi, eyes honestly curious. It struck Mizumi how completely genuine he was about everything.

She smiled lightly. "No thanks, I don't smoke."

"Good. S'nasty habit," the boy mumbled, shaking his head. "Kinda wish I'd never started."

Suddenly wanting to approach him, Mizumi took a step off the porch into the grass, giggling as it tickled her bare feet. Bankotsu watched, as though in a trance, as she approached him. She was a little doll, porcelain and perfect, dark emerald hair a beautiful contrast on the white of her cheeks as she gracefully glided towards him. She was a dance in every single way, he noticed, right down to her unconscious turnout.

"Smoking can be kind of...sexy," she replied, shrugging. The word "sexy" sounded odd coming from her little red mouth and Bankotsu barked with laughter.

"Sexy, huh?" he replied, grinning widely; his fangs glittered. "Then you must think the whole goddamn school is sexy, girl. Everyone smokes around here."

"So my nose tells me." With this, Mizumi tapped her nose lightly, smiling like she was merely five or six. "The nose knows."

"You're tellin' me. My nose hurts after one day here," Bankotsu lamented, shaking his head mournfully. "My poor olfactory senses."

Without warning, Mizumi plopped down on the grass, flipping over so that she could stare at the sky from her back. The clouds were a beautiful beard white, the sky that familiar rich blue. "I love that word," she whispered strangely. Sometimes the desire to suddenly be quiet struck Mizumi and this was one of those times. Realizing she'd done something "strange," she blushed suddenly and glanced nervously up at the place where Bankotsu had been standing.

But he was no longer there. Suddenly, Bankotsu plopped down beside her, cigarette still dangling from his lips. He'd done this in such a rush that Mizumi actually jumped, emitting a small sound of surprise. The boy just laughed heartily, arranging his silky braid so that it didn't cause a ridge in his back. He turned his head so that their crimson eyes locked in place and smiled in the most handsome of ways.

"What, olfactory?" he whispered in return.

Mizumi was suddenly charmed; she'd done something as strange as laying down and whispering her love for a weird word. Yet, despite that, here he was beside her, falling in kind with her. As the smoke trailed from his smile, Mizumi felt her breath oddly stolen. Perhaps it was improper to find a boy "beautiful," but that was the only word she could think of to properly describe him.

"Yeah," she mumbled, transfixed.

Bankotsu, too, seemed unable to move in that moment. When they met eyes like this, it always seemed as though a line were stretching between them, connecting them, ensuring them that someone else could understand them if only for a moment. Feeling so suddenly encompassed, Mizumi somehow wanted to cry.

"What's your favorite color?" she asked instead. The words had just tumbled forward and it confused her how she could say something without meaning to.

Shrugging, Bankotsu never removed his gaze as he said, "Green, I think. Maybe blue. I like colors that make me think of the outdoors."

"That fits you," Mizumi giggled, turning her eyes suddenly to the sky. "I like red."

This caused the black haired demon beside her to blink in confusion. "That's hard for me to picture."

"Why?" she asked quietly.

After a moment, Bankotsu answered, "Because red reminds me of sinners and sex and devils. And I don't think of those things when I think of you."

Mizumi didn't take offense but only thought inwardly for a moment. As the clouds ahead skated by on the winds, Mizumi echoed, "When you think of me. Well, then what do you think of?"

"Strawberries and summer. And Pointe shoes...and coffee for some reason," Bankotsu said absently without pause. He let the word "coffee" simmer and boil on his tongue.

These words made Mizumi smile and she said happily, "I like all of those things. Do you know what you make me think of?"

"What?" Bankotsu asked easily; talking to her was almost like floating on a river. Everything was natural and predetermined by some unseen force; he could feel her waves moving him playfully along and it soothed him.

Mizumi rolled over on her stomach and turned her head to regard him, wide smile on her full lips. "You make me think of the beach and clouds and motorcycles. And smoke, but I like smoke."

Bankotsu turned his own head away from the clouds, meeting eyes with her for the umpteenth time; it was like a cigarette he couldn't put down, her eyes. He was struck by the things she'd listed; only one of them was even remotely connected to the gangs and that was the motorcycles; still, he liked to think that motorcycles were his own personal joy as well. As she smiled back at him, he was struck with the strangest urge; he suddenly wanted to kiss her.

"Can I kiss you?" he voiced, again surprised by his voice. He'd never asked a woman before and had frankly never though anything about it since he turned fourteen. Something about her face made him want to ask.

Mizumi felt thousands of thoughts suddenly enter her mind but leave subsequently out the holes in her ears. It was a mad rush of chaos and then nothing as she debated the question, knowing full well what she wanted to answer and simultaneously entertaining a question.

"Could this ever happen? Us?" she asked in return, a doubtfulness suddenly entering her crimson gaze.

Bankotsu frowned. He could see "yes" written all over her face, but he knew that this was still bordering on "impossibility."

"I don't know," he replied truthfully, voice quiet and almost hurt. It was starting to physically hurt his chest to know that being with Mizumi would cause so many problems. It wasn't as simple as walking away, though; something about her drew him and he couldn't stop running back to her. He wanted so badly just to kiss her and run away...they'd only just met and he was beginning to feel swept away.

"Could we make it work?" Mizumi pressed; it was strange, saying these things to a boy she barely knew...but she felt as though she knew him anyway.

"If you try hard enough, anything works," Bankotsu replied strongly; his eyes burned with the conviction Mizumi was beginning to associate with him.

The girl was just about to respond when her life's responsibility began tugging on her and she felt as though she'd forgotten something. Her eyes went positively wide as she exclaimed, "Oh no, I'm in dance right now! I've missed half the dance! Oh, shit!"

Scrambling to her feet as Bankotsu laughed helplessly at her realization, she said joyfully, "We'll make something work, I know it! I have to go dance like a slut, but I'll see you later and have a good football practice! Don't hurt yourself!"

With this, Mizumi ran off towards the door, green curls swinging back and forth beautifully. Bankotsu watched her go, shaking his head pitifully with that stupid smile still glued on his lips. What was she doing to him?

9191919

"...and if you're so incapable, don't even bother coming back tomorrow; you may be the only human in here, but keep up or else. I'm not gonna cut you slack just because you're weak."

Mizumi stood in the doorway to the dance balcony, staring blankly at the sight before her. In her absence, Shitora had apparently lost her mind and was currently berating the poor blonde girl Mizumi had noticed a few days before. Up close, the dragon could now see that she had a cute little face, pert nose and freckles to match. She was indeed human as Shitora had accused her of; it was strange to realize that she was the only human on the dance team, but Mizumi was frankly unsurprised. This school seemed to favor demons indefinitely anyway and the dance program was no different. If this girl had made it this far, she was incredibly talented. She was, however, unfortunately unequipped for the routines she was being forced to perform. The repeated turning and jumping was easy enough for demons, but obviously this girl was suffering.

Shitora stared down at the girl, who was incredibly small, almost like a child, and eventually lost interest in it all. Snorting derisively, the hanyou declared, "I'm done for today; forget after school practice, let's just go home." The other girls let out breaths of relief, exchanging nervous glances; they'd been afraid Shitora would really lose her mind and do someone the same physical harm she'd done Mizumi.

The girls scampered to the walls and grabbed their things before hurrying out, saying quick goodbyes to Mizumi, who was still standing frozen in the doorway. Shitora spared the little freckled blonde one last scathing glance before rushing out the door, brushing past Mizumi rudely and knocking her into the doorframe. Mizumi barely even winced, somehow expecting this kind of attack, and only frowned. She wasn't going to let Shitora get the better of her anymore, she decided.

Seeing that Shitora was gone, the little blonde girl sighed heavily and turned to gather her things from the back corner. Mizumi watched her sadly, feeling rather sorry for the poor girl; finally, the dance captain entered the balcony and called out, "Hey."

The blonde didn't turn and only continued packing her bags in silence.

"Hey," Mizumi tried again; maybe the girl was shy.

Yet again, there was no response from the freckled human and Mizumi frowned. "I'm sorry Shitora was mean to you, but you could at least turn around when I'm trying to talk to you. Or answer...or something."

When there was absolutely no response, Mizumi threw up her hands and was about to storm out when the blonde suddenly turned as though noticing something for the first time. At the sight of her captain, the little girl gasped and held up her hands, performing several motions as she garbled out, "Ah'm sorry, Ah didn't nootice yoou."

Mizumi blinked, confused; the girl's voice was cute a little but her words were mashed and muddled, as though she had cotton balls in her cheeks. It was then that the dragon put everything together; the girl was signing with her hands. She was deaf.

"Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't know you were...I don't know sign language," Mizumi managed to get out, stumbling over her words and blushing madly.

The blonde only smiled, a cute little sight, as she shouldered her now-packed bags. "Is okah, Ah can read yoou're lips. Ah don' talk muuch, mos' people can't unerstan meh anehway."

"I can understand you fine," Mizumi exclaimed, cocking her head to the side; the girl seemed completely unoffended by her blunder and for that the dragon was thankful. She was horribly awkward when embarrassed.

"Aw, tank yoou," the blonde laughed, green eyes smiling. "Ah'm Lileh. L-I-L-Y."

Mizumi smiled as well, managing to make out the spelling. "Lily, it's nice to meet you. I'm Mizumi Tousen."

"Ah know whoo yoou ahre," Lily replied, shaking her head slightly with a little smile. "Yoou're da best dancer Ah eva seen."

The green-haired girls' cheeks flushed an even deeper red than before and she bowed her head slightly. "Thank you so much; that's very flattering. Um, actually, I was going to ask if you needed help in class. Shitora was out of line talking to you like that, she'd just a jerk sometimes. You're a fabulous dancer, I can tell."

"Ah've studied enough tha' Ah oughta be," Lily muttered, frowning. "Shitora Ta'sho has a bunch o' rocks up 'er butt anyway."

At the sound of this, Mizumi burst out laughing, completely caught off guard by the little girl's vulgarity. "I agree." Just then, a thought dawned on her. "Can I ask...how do you hear the music if you're deaf?"

Lily shrugged. "Ah can feel da beat sometimes an when I can't, Ah watch da otha girls an' stay in time. Is not soo hard after 'while."

"Wow," Mizumi muttered. "I could never do that. And you're human too..." When Lily raised her eyebrow skeptically, Mizumi hurriedly interrupted, "Well, not that humans couldn't do what you do because obviously you're doing it and you're doing a great job a-"

"Mee'umi, is okay. Ah undastand," Lily laughed slightly. By this time, the girls had arrived at what was apparently Lily's locker; it was situated in the senior hallway and Mizumi frowned slightly.

"Oh...you're a senior...I didn't know that," she muttered, puzzled over how little she knew about this girl.

"Ah jus' got here, Ah'm from Colorado," Lily went on to say. She was loading a fair amount of books into her bag, glancing up occasionally to see if she needed to read Mizumi's lips.

The dragon grew rather excited. "Wait, America? _Would you rather speak English?" _she asked in her second tongue.

Lily smiled widely. "_That would be nice. Thank you."_

Mizumi's eyes grew rather wide. "_Wow, you're English is almost perfect; how did you learn to talk so well if you couldn't hear? That's amazing!"_

_"It's not as hard as it seems, I guess; I've never heard a word, so I can only assume I talk the way I should," _Lily replied, generally unimpressed by herself.

"You'll have to teach me sign language!" Mizumi exclaimed, lapsing back into Japanese as the girls began walking together towards the front of the school; at that moment, the bell rang and students began pouring forth from their classes. "I mean, isn't it rude not to sign when I talk to you?"

"Ah guess," Lily shrugged, dodging a few wayward sophomore boys as they wove quickly through the now thrumming hallways. "Ah didn' really exepc' it anyweh."

It was perhaps a miracle or simply a twist of fate what happened next; Mizumi and Lily happened to glance across the hallway to find a strange but uplifting sight. A tall boy with cherry bomb hair was moving his tan hands at a rapid rate, nodding and mouthing words to a beautiful dark haired girl with ice blue eyes. She signed back, smiling all the while; both of them seemed to have an ultimate understanding of the other and Lily watched, open mouthed; she'd had no idea that anyone else in the school was deaf.

"Look! They speak sign language! You should go talk to them!" Mizumi exclaimed, giving Lily a light push in their direction.

But Lily shook her head decisively, arguing, "Ah don't know dem."

"Well, you'll never get to know them if you don't go talk!" the green haired girl continued; she was determined to help Lily make friends.

"No, Ah..." Lily protested lamely, finding herself suddenly pushed towards the chatting couple.

Mizumi gave her a hefty shove and Lily was thrown momentarily off balance. She stumbled forward and when she'd finally caught her feet, she straightened up to find her gaze locked with two confused ones; the cherry bomb boy and the deaf girl were staring at her, of course she'd practically careened into them. Lily was about to run away from pure embarrassment when the dark haired girl smiled and signed to her.

"_Hi; are you okay? You almost fell there." _

Lily read the signs easily and blushed. "_I'm fine, thank you. Sorry about that."_

Kotone Ookami's eyebrows raised indefinitely; she'd been expecting Benkan to translate for her, but the blonde girl had beat him to it. Kotone had been unaware that anyone but her friends spoke sign language and the fact that someone she barely even knew had stumbled into her, able to understand her, was exciting.

"Oh, you speak sign language. That's handy," Benkan Bones said jovially, grinning at the two girls; they both looked excited about their kindred spirits, though the blonde looked rather apprehensive.

Lily squinted in confusion when Kotone looked expectantly at her. Turning to the redhead, she asked, "Sorry, 'id yoou say somethin'?" Normally when people looked expectant, it meant they were waiting for an answer, the question of which Lily hadn't heard. She'd become accustomed to reading people over the years.

Benkan furrowed his brow. "Oh..." He had only just realized that she was deaf. "Yes, I just said it was handy that you spoke sign language."

"Ya, Ah'm deaf," Lily replied, chuckling slightly. "Which Ah bet yoou know noow."

"Yeah, it's cool," Benkan replied, grinning sheepishly as he placed a hand boredly on the back of his neck. "Koto's mute, so I figure sign language is sign language and that's that."

Lily smiled ruefully. "Oh, muute. Ah though'...oh well. Any'ne whoo caahn speak sign lang'age is good."

Mizumi watched with a small smile as her new friends struck up a half sign, half word conversation with the Kyoto refugees. After a moment, Mizumi tapped her on the shoulder, waving goodbye as they continued talking; she would leave them to converse for a while. She turned a corner to retrieve things from her locker, finding herself suddenly along in the hallway; most students were already home for the day and the last few lockers were slamming. Mizumi was just getting used to the quiet when someone called out to her in a soft, reserved voice. 

"Ms. Tousen."

The girl turned to find none other than the famous Sesshomaru Taisho standing before her, skinny as a ghost but finally a fleshly peach color; he no longer looked like the waif she remembered. He nodded his great silver head slightly, igniting her with a strange feeling of insignificance; there was something positively godly about him.

"I wanted to apologize for Shitora's behavior in my absence. I heard from my brother...in any case, I'm sorry it affected you like that; are you healing alright?"

"Yes, fine, thank you," Mizumi replied quietly; she was so quiet, Sesshomaru actually had to strain his ears to understand her.

"I'm glad to hear it," Sesshomaru said finally, frowning. He'd expected a bubblier answer, perhaps; she was, after all, a cute little dancer with a big smile. He'd watched her around campus and this seemed a strange polar opposite according to her normal hops and skips.

"Thanks. Well...I'm glad you're feeling better," she nodded to the taller man, bowing her green head momentarily. With this, completely forgetting about her Biology book, Mizumi hurried down the hallway in the opposite direction; Sesshomaru was frighteningly powerful and it emanated like a stunning light. It scared her.

Sesshomaru watched the girl go, seeming to understand her hesitation; she had yet to see him at full strength, what with his sickness, and it often frightened people past the point of speech. It irritated him to a certain extent, but often flattered him as well. At the current time, it only served to make him feel small.

"Shomo?"

The white haired demon turned to find Kouga standing a few feet from him, looking confused. "Come on man."

"Yeah," Sesshomaru muttered, looking briefly after Mizumi before following his best friend down the hall and out the doors.

Kibishii Ookami resettled his calloused hand on the wheel of his Mustang and sighed. "Taish, slow down, I can't understand a fuckin' word yer sayin."

After three weeks away, Kibishii had just now stumbled back into town; though he hadn't exactly told his sons he was leaving, he figured they would decode that fairly quickly. After a few tepid meetings, the Ookami king was now officially free of the Yakuza in every way, shape and form. He was wary, since word had it that no one ever truly freed themselves from mob arrangements, but he had enough friends that things were finally looking up. The Tokyo sun was like a fresh new life on his skin as he drove along, top down, cigarette dangling from his lips as he talked boredly to his best friend on the telephone.

"I said Sesshomaru was in the hospital for treatment because he somehow became anorexic. I can't believe I wasn't home, Kibi, what does that say about me? I'm a terrible father," Inutaisho lamented, dog whine creeping up in his anxious voice.

Kibishii rolled his eyes as he turned onto his street. "Not as bad as me; think of that whenever you feel paternally inadequate or whatever. He was probably just doin' one of those weird Taisho repentance things, I know how you sick fucks are."

"Shut up. Like the Ookamis are anyone to talk about sick fucks. I just now got a call from Kouga, by the way. I didn't even get a call from my own kids, I got one from yours; he's already out of the hospital and I wasn't _even there."_

Kibishii shut the door to the Mustang and pocketed his wallet boredly; the house looked just like it always did and he was hardly in a hurry to enter into a surely unkempt living room that smelled faintly of fast food. "Inutaisho, stop being a fag," Kibishii muttered gruffly, pausing outside the door as he searched the ring for his house key. "Let yourself chill out for a minute; if he's out of the hospital, then you've got nothin' left to do but pay the bills." The door opened and revealed the dark, musty familiarity of the den. "Sesshomaru was always yer self sufficient kid; you should worry about Inuyasha more."

"Thanks for your brilliant insight, Kibi. We weren't all blessed with kids that could take care of themselves a hundred percent of the time like yours."

"Yeah, mine are pretty good, huh?" the old wolf laughed to himself; he peered inside as he shut the door, noticing that the TV was on and Ranbou was sitting boredly in front of it; his eyes were lifeless and his cheeks pale. Kibishii's smile faded and he muttered, "Taish? I'll call you back later."

"What? Sure, what's wrong?"

"Nothin'...just gotta go."

"Oh. Alright, bye Kibi; thanks for listening to me complain."

With this, Kibishii folded his cell phone into his pocket and made his way through the sterling clean room to the couch. He was mildly surprised that it smelled nothing like MacDonald's and wasn't even remotely dirty; the only clutter in the room was Ranbou, his empty shell of a body laying boredly on the couch staring at the bright screen turn blue in the dark. He was in sweatpants and nothing else, hair wet from the shower; the only other sound was the rustling of pots in the kitchen. Kouga was obviously making dinner.

"Hey pup," Kibishii greeted as he took a seat beside his eldest child.

Ranbou glanced at his father, nodding slightly. "Hey."

"You look like you lost your best friend," the older wolf commented.

A look of pure agony crossed over Ranbou's face for a split second before he murmured, "I got homework," and rose from the couch, exiting the room and shutting his door behind him.

Kibishii blinked in confusion. "What the hell...?"

"He and Shitora broke up," Kouga explained as he entered from the kitchen, handing his father a bowl of pasta. "I thought you'd come home today."

The father accepted the bowl with a slight nod, barely even ruffled by his young son's uncanny ability to predict the future. Kouga had always been rather ethereal and difficult to understand, but it had always reminded Kibishii of his late wife and he never objected. Now, as they sat together watching a toothpaste commercial eating pasta, Kibishii managed to process the information he'd just been given.

"Wait, he and Shitora broke up? Over what?"

"Dance, each other...everything. It's hard to explain without a lot of background, so just don't talk about it for a while, okay?" Kouga advised, looking a little bothered by the whole idea of the break-up in general.

"Oh...well, how's Ayame?" Kibishii asked awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck; he often didn't know how to talk to Kouga.

Kouga shrugged, replying, "Great, she's always great. By the way, I thought you would probably want to know...we found Kina and Koto."

The silence which followed was a deafening one, broken only by the scraping of utensils on porcelain as Kibishii continued eating his pasta. "In Kyoto, you mean?"

Kouga paused in his eating, suddenly surprised; he had intended to be the controller in this conversation, but Kibishii had caused the tides to turn rather quickly. For a moment, only the blue and white of the television caused movement on Kouga's face. Finally, he said in a deep monotone, "You knew."

"Course I knew, boy. I was a Yakuza scout, I had the ability to know whatever I wanted; I've been checking up on them for a while."

"Then you know that...they're...here."

The control soon became Kouga's a second time as Kibishii turned to face him fiercely, ice blue eyes wide as stones. The cocky attitude drained from his face and Kibishii swallowed with a certain amount of difficulty, glancing nervously down at his feet and then quickly up at his son once more. The confusion in his face was uncomfortable for Kouga, who still expected a certain amount of strength from his father. They sat there in silence, staring at one another with their mirroring eyes, until Kouga cleared his throat and rose, taking his half empty bowl to the kitchen.

"In...the house?" Kibishii finally asked, voice quiet and small.

"Yeah," Kouga answered from the kitchen. When Kibishii started looking around as though expecting his girls to pop out of the wall, Kouga elaborated, "They're at the warehouse working right now, but they should be home by seven."

Kibishii glanced down at his watch and murmured, "That's in fifteen minutes. Maybe I should get out."

"What for?" Kouga asked calmly, already knowing the answer but finding it foolish to lord himself over his father even more than he already was.

"They think that...that mom...they probably haven't given up on that," Kibishii confessed, garbling his words but causing Kouga to nod gravely anyway.

"They're not sore like they used to be, but...total forgiveness probably isn't your best bet," The boy agreed, shaking his head.

Kibishii was about to respond when the front door opened and familiar scents swept about the house, causing the man to close his eyes and savor the sweet smell of his daughters.

"Guys, we're home...dad?"

9191919

"...and then the asshole says, 'Ookami, that's two detentions for sleeping in my class,' and I was like 'look buddy, it's a great environment for rest.'"

Lysander laughed and took a deep breath of the suddenly crisp autumn wind; it was already the first week of October and the unbearably hot summer was beginning to fade. As Lysander adjusted his shoulders against the hard metal of Ranbou's pick-up bed, watching his friend's smoke trail ascend gracefully towards the clouds; they were currently skipping eighth period, but no one ever cared about gym anyway. As Ranbou saw it, he was already the quarterback on the football team; how much physical exertion were they expecting?

"Hey Ran?" Lysander began, looking rather hesitant at first. Finally, he turned his yellow cat eyes towards his best friend, mop of red hair catching dust from the tailgate. "I was wondering...do you think you and Tora are ever gonna get back together? If you don't wanna talk about it, I understand, but..."

"No, dude, it's cool," Ranbou replied quietly, all traces of humor gone from his face. "I...don't think it'll ever happen again. The problems we had were pretty foundational."

Lysander regarded his friend silently for a moment. "Foundational? Like, you didn't love each other?"

The question caught Ranbou off guard and he blushed, an unusual occurrence in the life of the hard-nosed quarterback. Lysander was just staring innocently at him, channeling his mother's uncanny ability to ask strangely invasive questions but still seem polite.

"Not like that, cause we did," Ranbou eventually said, still embarrassed by the fact. He knew that, theoretically, Lysander was the last person he should feel embarrassed in front of.

Lysander seemed to ponder this for a moment, sitting up on his elbows when he finally delivered his verdict. "Then you didn't have foundational problems at all, man. The foundation of your relationship should be love and, if you loved each other and put that first, then you had problems of some other kind. Like...anger problems. Or how impulsive you are. I don't think it has anything to do with the foundation."

The words were so profound that Ranbou allowed them to sit untouched on the air. He closed his eyes softly, listening to the birds twittering on their way overseas, relishing in the slight breeze hinting at a cold front. He felt suddenly in tune with the world around him, suddenly a part of something; it was in this moment that he felt that void creep over him.

"I miss her, man," he whispered, unembarrassed by his weakness for the first time.

Lysander sighed sadly, reaching over to grab the smoldering cigarette from his friends hand. He took a leisurely drag on it, watching the smoke twist away into nothing.

"I know, dude. I know."

"Lysander?"

The redhead sat up slightly, glancing about for his twin sister; he could recognize her voice and smell from miles away. Fenn's startling shock of red hair became slowly visible in the sea of cars and Lysander squinted; surely he couldn't be seeing what he thought he saw. He could smell the salty clash of tears and the spoiled crimson sharpness of blood, but he could barely believe it. Fennella was hardly the type of girl to get hurt or cry afterwards, for that matter; if anything, she'd been the one standing up for him when they were children. She looked huddled and cold as she trembled about in her dancewear in the parking lot.

"Over here," he called, waving his arm slightly until her muddy green eyes focused in on the pick-up. She came rushing forward, cradling her left hand tenderly in her arms as the tears streamed down her face. Dread filled Lysander as he unhitched the tailgate and reached down, offering his sister a strong arm into the bed. As soon as the gate was locked back into place, Ranbou and Lysander exchanged nervous glances; it was difficult to tell, but Fennella's hand looked mangled, scratched and bloodied to the point of unrecognition.

"Fenn, what the hell happened?" Lysander asked sharply, emerald eyes becoming dangerously dark.

"I was getting my things in the locker room and I got on the wrong side of Kagura's girls," she sniffed, rubbing violently at her tears with her right hand. "It's not that I couldn't take them, I could! I just...Kijo just yelled at me about fighting the other day and I couldn't...not after she'd..." the girl trailed off, cheeks flushing darkly, before she finally murmured, "Anyway, one of the Vixen tigers got a hold of my hands and started eating away at it...I didn't know what to do, so I yanked it out and ran. I could hear them laughing behind me...I just wanted to kill them all." More tears leaked down her cheeks at this, causing her to shut her eyes tightly.

Ranbou frowned. "She...ate away at it? She _bit _you?!"

"That's what it looks like," Lysander murmured, turning Fennella's grossly mangled hand over in his calloused ones. "No wonder you're crying; I can see your thumb muscle!"

Fennella still wasn't looking, perhaps because of the gross vision which lay in wait for her, and Ranbou could only watch in horror. He'd seen his fair share of muscle, bone and brain, but seeing it on one of his friends was an entirely different matter.

"Those sick fucks!" he yelled suddenly, pounding his tailgate floor and causing a dent which seemed not to bother him. "After everything we're going through, everything the _country's _going through, how can some little tiff like south versus north be important to them?! Someone please enlighten me how a person's world can be so SMALL!"

Fennella only continued to cry softly as Lysander heaved a heavy sigh. Ranbou eventually seemed to come down from his craze, running a hand through his hair as frustrated air escaped his lips. "Well, whatever. Gan'll take a look at it," he finished, shrugging his shoulders; the only sound across the parking lot was that of leaves scraping the pavement, puppets to the wind.

"Oh yeah, good idea; I'll go crawling to my enemy with my fucked up hand so she can laugh about it!" Fenn cried, scrubbing at her tears; her voice barely impacted the empty lot. "I already look like a coward!"

"Do you want your hand to fall off? You're going to see Gan," Lysander said crisply, standing to his feet and unlocking the tailgate. "School should be done by now."

"Well, then, I have dance," Fennella countered, eyes flashing.

Lysander never bothered to face her, replying stiffly, "Somehow I think your balance would be off. Just come on, imouto."

The sound of that familiar pet name caused Fennella to roll her eyes as Lysander lifted her carefully down from the tailgate. Ranbou gave his best friend a wave, which the flustered redhead returned. The twins walked off towards their Corvette as Ranbou rolled his eyes plaintively, lightning a new cigarette as he grew generally tired of the circumstances around him. Hate, fighting, killing...and he was only part of the problem.

Shouting from the schoolyard brought his attention back towards the school and the wolf furrowed his brow; those were the shouts and hollers only associated with a fist fight and he'd been in enough to know. Muttering a curse, the boy leaped out of the tailgate and took off towards the school at a jog; there was no telling who was inches away from facial reconstruction surgery this time.

Mizumi and Shale exited the school together, talking and laughing about their days; for some unknown reason, Shitora had cancelled dance practice and Mizumi was enjoying a day of after school freedom. Shale smiled as Mizumi explained the sight of Ranbou Ookami sleeping in their Home Ec class but her smile soon disappeared as she noticed the growing crowd before them. Boys and girls were running towards a central attraction, shouting madly for their favorite contenders as they created a sea of school uniforms on the front lawn.

"What's going on?" Shale asked no one in particular.

"Ryuu's about to fuck Hiashi up," Kobu replied as he arrived beside Mizumi, shaking his tanned head baldly. His black samurai knot caught the wind and danced behind him as he muttered, "Right in front o' the school; crazy ass."

"Wait, Bankotsu?" Mizumi screeched. "He's fighting _Bankotsu _Hiashi?"

"That's the one," Kobu replied, crossing his arms, which bulged dangerously in the sleeves of his uniform shirt. "Unlucky bastard; he should've known better than to pick that fight."

Mizumi stared aghast at the growing circle and, though Kubo seemed not to notice anything amiss, Shale watched her young friend's face very carefully; there was something more than surprise there and the blonde girl knew precisely what it was.

"Shit!" the dragon girl exclaimed, dropping her bags at her feet and running towards the growing crowd, wherein she began pushing her way bodily through the spectators.

Kubo muttered a curse of his own, glancing down at the bags and shrugging them onto his shoulder as an afterthought. "She might not wanna see what's goin' on in there," he mentioned, earning an anxious whine from Shale.

"What are they fighting about anyway?" she asked, blue eyes shining with concern.

"One 'a Hiashi's boys gave Ryuu some kinda weird look or somethin'. Ryuu was about to start up with the bastard, but here comes Hiashi, all stickin' up for his people, and now they're fightin'. So to answer you're question, nothin'. They're fightin' about nothin'," Kubo replied, shaking his black head. "Christ." His leather face, however marred with scars, looking only frustrated in that moment. As though this fight reminded him of all the reasons the Dragons were often a hassle.

Meanwhile, Mizumi pushed and shoved her way through the masses, grunting as bodies much heavier than hers pressed her against the many students. She managed to duck down and practically crawl her way to the center, knocking legs and knees aside until she was finally standing in the innermost ring of the circle, watching the madness before her.

Bankotsu was on one knee, wiping blood away from his mouth and nose as Ryuu stared down at him from above, arms crossed imperiously. Ryuu's crimson eyes were hard and cross, occasionally obstructed by the wicked winds as they picked up his emerald green hair and threw it about. He was so tall and powerful, he looked practically royal. Bankotsu, on the other hand, looked more the worse for wear as he stood carefully to his feet, cherry-red eyes narrowed and pieces of fringe hair escaping from his braid. Mizumi bit her lip fretfully, hands tightening into little fists; not to belittle Bankotsu's abilities, but her brother was a tank. There was no guarantee that Bankotsu would come out of this scuffle on two feet.

"Had enough, Hiashi?" Ryuu asked in his usual gruff monotone, looking bored by the whole thing.

"No, I ain't had enough, asshole," Bankotsu growled. The Cobra leader wiped more blood from his aching face and glanced haphazardly around the circle. Jakotsu, Hiten and Inuyasha were standing on one side shaking their fists encouragingly and cheering. On the other side, Sesshomaru and the recently appeared Ranbou were watching the goings on grimly, looking as though they disapproved but not daring to interfere in another man's pride battle. Kagome, Sango and Rin were directly behind Ryuukoytsusei, calling out occasionally to him but looking like they didn't want to get involved. In any case, if he stopped fighting now, what would they all think of him? However much Bankotsu wanted to just walk away and leave this all lie, he knew his reputation depended on a finish, whether or not he won or got knocked out.

"Fine," Ryuu growled venomously, launching forward with his fist upraised.

Bankotsu's eyes got momentarily wide as he processed the sight of the 250 pound monster practically on top of him, teeth barred and eyes narrowed. Using his natural speed at his aid, Bankotsu ducked deftly to the side and left Ryuu connecting his fist with only air. In a rare moment of clear-headedness, Bankotsu delivered a fire-filled punch to the back of Ryuu's neck, hoping it would knock the hefty dragon out for the count.

The hit only succeeded in causing Ryuu to grunt with pain as his nerves screamed in agony; Bankotsu had hit him right where it hurt on his spine. "Motherfucker," the dragon murmured lowly, spinning and delivering a swift hit to Bankotsu's stomach. The Cobra leader felt his breath leave him and heard the cracking of ribs as he fell to his knees, blood leaking from his lips and pooling on the ground. Many of the onlookers gasped, several boys issuing sounds of gruff sympathy for the poor boy; they could hear the bones splintering from where they stood.

Bankotsu happened to fall right at Mizumi Tousen's feet and hear her terrified gasp, one which echoed in his ears right up with the beautiful sounds of the heavens. She was about to bend down to tend to him, but she knew better; there was a dangerous myriad of onlookers, none of which would fail to notice the converging of enemies.

Ryuu seemed so charged by his anger that he roared, eyes aflame as he prepared to deliver another blow to his fallen enemy.

"Stop right now," Sesshomaru demanded as he entered the circle, slightly thin body still as intimidating as ever. With that familiar clip to his amber eyes, the circle realized just how recovered their fearless leader was. In only two weeks time, their leader had put on ten pounds and regained the strength in his limbs that everyone remembered. Now he was practically back to full-strength and staring Ryuukoytsusei coldly in the eyes. He knew the story of his rush to the hospital, but even Sesshomaru wouldn't allow his savior to get off so easily.

"He's down, you've had your fun," Sesshomaru continued when Ryuukoytsusei remained silent.

The crowd watched with baited breath as their two leaders faced off, crimson and amber dancing like fire on the wind. Finally, Ryuu hissed, "What, you want some too, Taisho?"

Immediately, Inuyasha, Kouga, Miroku, Hiten, Jakotsu and Ranbou stepped into the ring, arms crossed and faces hard. Ryuu knew in an instant that he was outnumbered and mentally chided himself for trying to pick a fight with the rock-solid Sesshomaru Taisho; his web was practically solid across town and it was foolish to think victory was possible in a circumstance like this.

It was then that several Dragons stepped forward behind their leader, Kobu in the forefront; they weren't about to let the Dragons be disgraced on neutral territory.

"Everyone get out, this ain't your fight!" Bankotsu cried out hoarsely as he stumbled to his feet, breathing laboriously and wheezing with the pain of his ribs clouding his vision. "Everyone get out now!"

Sesshomaru watched the boy for a moment before he nodded to the South and they began to withdraw back towards the edge of the circle, albeit quite reluctantly. Jakotsu watched his brother anxiously as Hiten tugged him backwards all the while; Bankotsu might not get out of this one, Jakotsu had decided.

"You too," Ryuu said to the Dragons behind him, never turning. Without a word, the boys exchanged glances and melted back towards the center ring as ordered.

Now standing alone, just the two of them, Bankotsu and Ryuu met eyes fiercely, their fight reigniting as quickly as it had come to a close. "Let's finish this," Bankotsu said lowly, arriving in front of Ryuu with speed which shouldn't accompany three four broken ribs. Before Ryuu could even catch his breath, Bankotsu's fist caught him cruelly across the face, splitting his cheek and causing a familiar hotness around the eye; that would be a shiner.

"All of you, stop right where you are!"

The cheering and talking stopped abruptly as principal Numa Shikaruni came bursting into the center circle, brother Kuma-Bear making his way behind him. The stately blonde principal was frowning, green eyes a dangerous emerald as he addressed the two boys before him. "Tousen, Hiashi, my office now. If you can make it there, that is. If not, consider your punishments doubled."

The other students winced; harsh.

Bear allowed his brother to squeeze past him as he entered the circle for himself, brawny arms crossed in a dangerous display of anger across his chest. His own green eyes were narrowed so far it was difficult to discern their color behind the brow.

"Let's go you two," he said without a hint of his normal cheerfulness.

Ryuu and Bankotsu exchanged a glance walking calmly towards the opening in the circle. Ryuu exited swiftly, wiping blood from his face, though Bankotsu seemed to have a little more trouble. After his stunning display of physical endurance with that last hit, the pain in his ribs was coming back to bite him and he was barely able to move. Hiten ran to his best friend's side and quickly offered him a shoulder, helping him hobble towards the main door of the school. Bear glanced around the circle and shook his head before exiting.

"Oh shit," Kubo murmured as he arrived at Mizumi's side. "Looks like yer brother's in a whole lot of hurt."

Mizumi said nothing and only continued to look anxious, even when Shale pushed through the dispersing crowd to meet them. She too looked troubled, though not like her young friend. "Do you think he'll get a detention?" she asked Kubo.

"He'd be lucky if he got off with ten; Shikaruni doesn't take to fighting. He hates it; guys have been expelled for less," Kubo replied, shaking his head sadly. "All we can do is go home and wait."

"Do you live in our apartment complex?" Shale asked, knowing that many of the dragons did.

"Room 202," Kubo replied, grinning. "Best fuckin' pad ever, chicks dig the rats; that's hot, apparently."

Shale laughed slightly as she ushered Mizumi towards the car; the green haired girl was still anxious and lost looking. She'd never witnessed a real fight before, but it would be too soon if she never did again. Kubo paid her moroseness no mind, figuring that she was just rattled by the sight of her brother getting hit. Little did he know that Bankotsu was the only one on her mind.

9191919

"...and fighting on school property is inconceivable. I'd rather you not fight at all, but off campus I have no control; on campus, however, is where you find yourself now. And let me remind both of you that this is not your first offense. Bankotsu, you've been caught fighting three times since sophomore year, and Ryuukoytsusei..."

Numa Shikaruni trailed off as he stared down at the records before him. Ryuu and Bankotsu were sitting, more like propped up, in the office chairs before the principal's desk, not seeming to hear a word out of his mouth. Bankotsu was breathing laboriously, staring down at his bloody hands, while Ryuukoytsusei stared bad-temperedly out the window. When his name was called, the bloody dragon barely glanced up and drew in the principal's silence.

"That should be thirteen," he commented, nodding down to the record books.

"Twelve," Shikaruni corrected, still struck by the sheer enormity of the number.

"Pity," Ryuu replied, continuing to stare out the window as though nothing were of consequence to him.

Bear, who was leaning against the back wall, rolled his eyes plaintively as Numa's shoulders began to tremble. "You two have no pride in your school, you administration, or your fellow students. It's abhorrent!"

Bankotsu had the grace to look ashamed, while Ryuu only scoffed rudely.

"I should expel you both," Numa growled.

At the sound of this, Ryuu glanced up and Bankotsu's mouth dropped nearly to the floor. "Please don't, sir, it would break my mom's heart."

"What a fag," Ryuu growled, rolling his eyes dramatically.

Bankotsu's face turned violent, but Bear stepped in quickly, muttering, "Cool it," to both boys, accompanied quickly by his warning glare. Ryuu and Bankotsu both relaxed reluctantly back into their seats, pointedly avoiding each others eyes. Numa rolled his emerald green eyes and gave his much larger brother a hopeless sort of look. Kuma only shook his head as though to say, "your job, not mine."

"Alright, you two, this is what we're going to do. Since you have so little pride in your school, you get to participate in the school activities of my choice for at least an hour a day. For you, Tousen, it'll be..." the principal trailed off as he fingered through a few files, looking tired and worn by these students and their troubles. Finally, he withdrew a leaf of paper triumphantly, declaring, "Art. You will be taking art classes with McGarr Sensei; he won't take your attitude like me, so be careful."

Ryuu stared blankly at the principal for a moment before he repeated. "Art."

"That's right," came Numa's stiff response.

"Like, drawing shit? No way."

"Expelled."

"Fine," Ryuu replied after a moment. "I'll take your little art class, but watch your back Shikaruni."

"Sure Ryuu, threaten my brother right in front of me, that's a great idea," Bear interrupted sarcastically, coming up behind the dragon's chair as though reminding him just how large he was.

When Ryuu realized his anger was getting the best of him, he rose abruptly and murmured, "Fine," before storming out the door, wiping the still free-flowing blood from his face. The door slammed angrily behind him and, as soon as the northern leader was out of earshot, Bankotsu gave a groan and shifted in his chair. The pain he'd been masking rose to the surface of his handsome face, creating a rather pitiful, bloody, bruised picture of a man.

"Remind me to never piss him off again, damn, he hits like a hurricane," Bankotsu moaned, ignoring Bear and Numa as they chuckled darkly at his predicament.

"Fighting in general is a bad idea, Hiashi, because someone always has to lose and you have a 50 chance of it. Now, for you school activity, I think..." Numa rifled through the papers again, generally unsatisfied by his choices. Finally, a brilliant idea came into his head and the blonde principal smiled mysteriously. "Ah yes. For you, I've chosen the school musical. Auditions are soon, so keep an ear out. No matter what part you receive, and you will receive one, you'll be there every day doing whatever Pierre Sensei wants you to do."

At the word "musical," Bankotsu gave a piteous whimper and closed his eyes tightly. "Man, I can feel the gay jokes just looming up in the distance."

"Put this guy in orchestra so that he can play 'my heart cries for you' on the world's smallest violin," Bear laughed, clapping his hands and obviously having quite a good time with the idea of his tailback in a musical.

"If people think your gay, get a girlfriend; that's what I did in high school," the principal joked, rising from his seat and going over to offer Bankotsu a hand. He liked the boy a good deal, as he was one of the few gang members who offered the administration any respect whatsoever. Perhaps the favoritism he's showed to Bankotsu over Ryuukoytsusei was inappropriate, but Numa could care less; he just wanted to get home to his wife and no one could fault him for doing his best in the line of duty.

"Thank you, sir," Bankotsu said wearily as he brace his ribs with one arm, shaking the principal's hand with the other.

"For punishment? Anytime, Hiashi, it brings me a perverse pleasure," the blonde said with a smile. "Get yourself on to see Kiretsu, now."

Looking mildly surprised, Bankotsu murmured, "I thought you would tell me to go to a doctor or something; Gan, really?"

"I know more than you think I do," Numa replied slyly, adjusting his spectacles and closing the door swiftly behind Bankotsu's slowly retreating form. "Damn kids take years off my life every day, I swear."

9191919

"Gan?"

The blonde girl glanced up from the kitchen table where she was busily attending to some calculus equations. Akago was standing before her, cigarette dangling from between his lips as he moved to fill a glass of wine from the refrigerator.

"You have a couple of visitors," Akago replied, shrugging his white head thoughtfully, jerking his crimson eyes towards the door of the house.

Gan furrowed her brow, raising from the table and pulling her robe tightly around her; despite the fact that she was wearing pajamas beneath, having visitors call after school made her almost uncomfortable. When she arrived in the entrance way, she found herself met with the sight of Lysander and Fennella, both of whom looked like they'd had better days in their time. Lysander was smiling wearily, arm wrapped comfortingly around Fennella's shoulders as she sniffled unconsciously, still cradling her hand. Gan's face soured at the sight of her enemy, but the tears almost made her pause; she knew Fennella to be easily angered and quick to fight, but never quick to cry.

"What happened?" Gan asked, rubbing the tiredness from her violet eyes so that she might better assess the situation.

"A vixen bit her," Lysander explained. "And I do mean _bit."_

Furrowing her brow, Gan approached the crying redhead and tried to get a better look at her injury; in response, the lion only jerked her hands back, holding them close to her stomach.

"I can't look at it if you hide it," Gan said stiffly, cocking her eyebrow in derision.

When faced with those violet eyes glaring sternly at her over the rim of her spectacles, Fennella drooped slightly and slowly withdrew her hand from its hiding place. Gan gave the lion one last look before taking the injured appendage carefully in her hands, momentarily stunned by the sight of it; Gan's immediate first thought was that this was perhaps a job for trained professionals. There was muscle showing, as Lysander had so astutely pointed out, and the flesh was so bruised and bloodied it was difficult to tell what was hand and what was finger.

"What did she do, try to consume it?!" Gan exclaimed, looking appalled. "She must've been out of her mind! This is horrible!"

"Since we finally agree on something, can I have a painkiller in celebration?" Fennella asked sarcastically through her tears, which were currently flowing out of a sheer physical response to pain.

"Yes, yes, come back here," Gan said absent-mindedly, walking quickly back towards the kitchen as Lysander ushered his sister along.

Akago shook his head in disbelief, sighing sadly at the fact that there were actually people rotten to the core in this world. Before he could think too deeply, the front door opened a second time and a pair of familiar, pounding footsteps came barreling inside. "Gun?" someone called in a gruff baritone.

Akago furrowed his brow and came walking out of the living room towards the entrance way. "Ryuu? Is that you?"

"Who do you think?" came the rude reply.

Ryuu came walking into the house as though he owned the place, still dressed in his school uniform as blood ran down his face onto the starched white of his shirt. From the way he was moving his shoulders, the dragon was obviously injured more seriously than a simple black eye. Akago's eyes went wide at the sight of his distant friend, who was not normally the one receiving the hits in a fight.

"Good god, did you try to fight a sumo wrestler?" the Shark leader exclaimed, looking aghast. "It looks like you need st-"

"Stitches, yeah, I figured that out," Ryuu filled in sourly, glancing haphazardly around through his one good eye. "Is the Gun here?"

"She's taking care of someone else in the kitchen; you can always get in line," came Akago's wry reply; it looked as though Gan were seconds away from starting her own business.

"Tell me it's not Hiashi," Ryuu practically moaned as they walked towards the sound of voices.

"Who, Bankotsu?" Akago asked in confusion. "Don't tell me you go in a fight with him."

"On campus. Nearly got expelled. Now I have to do some fucking art class or something; Shikaruni's a nutcase," the other man replied.

Judging by the sound of things, Ryuu had started another one of his infamous public brawls and Bankotsu had been on the unfortunate receiving end of the random desire. If Ryuu looked this bad, Akago was worried to think what Bankotsu might look like.

"Well, he clocked you," Akago commented, looking mildly pleased.

"Hiashi's no throw down; he just pisses me off," Ryuu replied, growling slightly.

In the kitchen, Fennella was sitting on a stool looking angry and pained as Gan diligently cleaned and stitched her hand; Lysander was leaning blithely back against a row of cabinets, looking unfettered by the gory sight before him. The look on Gan's face was focused and clear, almost like the sting of rain; though Ryuu tried not to internalize the fact, he immediately knew that Akago was paying more attention to his second-in-command than normal. Those calculative crimson eyes of the Shark's weren't moving from Gan's pretty face and it was, in the dragon's own word, disturbing.

"Gan, we've got another for you," Akago finally said, trying not to interrupt her work.

"Ryuu, get ice from the fridge, put it on your face, and sit your ass down. You can expect a lecture while I stitch up that cut," Gan ordered without looking up from her third set of stitches.

"Can't wait," cam Ryuu's sarcastic reply.

Lysander watched the exchange with mild interest. "Don't think I've ever seen the big guy so docile," he mentioned.

"You'd be surprised what Gan can scare people into," Akago replied with a small smile, pouring himself a second glass of wine; it looked as though he were going to need it.

"I'll skin you, Tsume," Ryuu growled from the ice box.

"Right back at you, chum," Akago called jovially. "See? Bosom buddies."

"Hello?" someone called from the front door.

Ryuu hit his head on the ceiling of the refrigerator and let out a vicious curse as Hiten and Bankotsu's bloody scents entered the house, obviously looking for some medical care of their own.

"Oh, honestly, do I look like a hospital?" Gan complained, giving Akago a pointed glare.

"Don't look at me, I'm just opening the door," the Shark protested, hands upraised protectively.

"For the fuckin' love of-" Ryuu began, looking as though he were going to continue his recently interrupted fight.

Akago immediately ran forward, positioning himself between the front of the house and the enormous Dragon, a hard look on his face. "Don't you dare. If you start a fight in my house, I swear to God, Ryuu..."

"Gan, I think Bank just passed out, can I get a hand?" came Hiten's strained, disembodied voice from he front of the house.

"Fuck," Gan murmured, narrowing her eyes. "Ryuu, expect a LONG lecture. Very long. Excruciatingly."

"What?" The Dragon asked innocently, arms akimbo. "He asked for it."

"This is going to be a long night," Akago growled to himself, running towards the doorway to help Hiten with his heavy load.

9191919

Kagome tapped her pen thoughtfully, staring down at the math problem before her as it marched ridiculously across the page. She didn't particularly care what the "log" was and found it mildly stupid that math involved words like "imaginary" and "log" in the first place. As far as Kagome was concerned, nothing about math was imaginary and it was mostly painfully real. Where the log was concerned, there were simply no trees in calculus, and therefore no logs. Kagome, of course, knew what imaginary numbers and the log of numbers were...it was just the principle of the thing.

"Are you actually gonna write anything, or...?" Inuyasha trailed off as he walked boredly into the kitchen, wearing only sweatpants as he retrieved a carton of milk from the fridge.

The Taisho house was relatively quiet, with only the dull blur of the television and Kaede's dulcet humming interrupting the chirping of crickets outside the open windows. Kagome had taken to spending her time there due to it's close, comfortable, personable feeling. A good deal of the time, Rin was with her at the Taishos'; though the Takeyama mansion was beautiful and lavish, it seemed so empty and dull. Being with their boyfriends was a far more appealing prospect.

"I can't do this, Inuyasha," Kagome whined pitifully, allowing her head to fall glumly onto the open text book before her. "I don't know what the Co-sin of any of this crap is. I give up. I'm done. Screw it. Fuck school." At the sound of cursing, Kaede rolled her old eyes and picked up her purse from the table; she might as well get the shopping done if her children were going to stink up the air with four letter blasphemy.

"It's only October," Inuyasha laughed, taking a seat beside Kagome and rubbing her back soothingly as Kaede left in a huff. "I mean, yeah, fuck school, but you shouldn't care so much. South Tokyo isn't the Academy; you don't have to work so hard here."

Kagome glanced haphazardly up at him, brown eyes hard. "Not work? Sorry, do you understand the theory of school?"

"Sure I do," Inuyasha replied defensively. "What I'm saying is that you shouldn't stress out over something that isn't gonna matter in the long run."

"One word, Inuyasha: college," Kagome replied stiffly, straightening back up and unfolding her hunched shoulders. "I have plans."

"To do what?" the boy asked, amber eyes curious as he observed his girlfriend poring over her work.

Kagome fixed Inuyasha with a glare and then softened when she saw how serious he was. Shrugging, she dropped her pencil in the book's crease and leaned back in her chair. "I don't know. Not to brag, but with my grades, I could pretty much do anything."

"I figured that out," he replied with a hint of sarcasm. "You're like Gan with the books; but what do you want to do?"

"I don't know, I said; I should probably do something with English, it's where I'm the best," Kagome sighed, shaking her head.

"Not what you should do, what you _want _to do."

Inuyasha's pointed look made Kagome want to fall into the floor and live underground. She knew what she wanted to do, or at least what she had wanted at the beginning of the summer, but it was all so different now. Everything about her life was different and she felt as though she should want different things. Unfortunately, her desires were still as strong as ever. She only wanted one thing and the very want itself made her guilty.

"I told you, I don't know what I want. I'm only seventeen," Kagome argued. Now was just not the time for this business.

"You know Kagome-" Inuyasha began, only to be cut off by the harsh ringing of Kagome's cell phone.

As the phone glowed and skittered across the table, Kagome smiled faintly to herself. "_Saved by the bell," _she thought to herself, practically sighing in relief. The phone screen revealed little information, only a number Kagome couldn't recognize; frowning, she answered it with a click of a button.

"Hello?"

"Kagome? It's mom."

Kagome froze at the table, face suddenly ice cold. "Mom? Where are you?"

"I'm on a payphone in Nakagyo," replied her mother's weary voice; it was a distant shot from Mrs. Higurashi's normal cheerful soprano.

Kagome furrowed her brow; Nakagyo was one of Kyoto's eleven wards and a full ward over from her homeland of Shimogyo. "Why are you there? Where have you been for the past two weeks?"

"We relocated to the coast. We just got back into town this morning and I thought I would give you a call to let you know everyone's safe."

"I'm glad," Kagome said shakily, nervous about her next question. "Have you been to the shrine yet?"

There was a deafening silence over the line as Kagome clutched her cell phone and Inuyasha watched in confusion; Kagome looked worried about her family when he hadn't even known they'd been in danger.

"That's what I was calling about, Kagome...we went up this morning and...it's a bit damaged. The riots swept right over it and they must've gotten inside. I'm sorry, Kagome."

"Wait...so can we still live there?" Kagome asked, trying to keep her emotions under control. She stood up from the table and began walking towards the back door just to escape Inuyasha's nervous stare.

"We can, but it's going to need some clean up. Some major clean-up. Tomo is talking to the insurance company because we're not sure what the policies on this are going to be...there's a lot of broken glass, lot's of rotten food. There's bloodstains all over the kitchen and some knives laying on the ground, some dangerous smelling chemicals out back. You can see the stains on the grass where cherry bombs went on; the yard is a mess. The big tree is the only thing left and the rest of the yard is full of holes and craters I couldn't even begin to explain. I don't know what to tell you, baby. Maybe if you want, you can come clean-up with us. Some weekend in the future maybe?" Mrs. Higurashi's voice was wobbling slightly and Kagome felt tears coming to her eyes.

"Of course, this weekend I'll come up. I promise. How much time do you think it will take?" Kagome asked, trying to project a level voice.

"A while longer than a weekend, but I wanted to see you if only for a little while. I am your mother after all," the woman joked, slightly tearful. "There are cleaning crews around town, but they won't make it up here for a few weeks. Maybe you could bring some of your friends! I want to meet the people that swept my daughter away."

"My friends? Are you sure?" Kagome echoed, slightly surprised. "I mean, is this not family time, or...?"

"Darling, our house is a shadow of its old self and I want to move back home. We're staying in the guest house for now, or until Tomo gets fed up and makes us relocate to a hotel; I can't take much more of grandpa, your brother and Tomo is an enclosed space, Kagome. I want the house fixed _now._"

Kagome bit her lip; that certainly sounded like a religion-killing situation. "Okay, I'll ask them, but I doubt many of them will want to go up to Kyoto right now...not with the sentiments floating around."

"Ah, do you have lots of demon friends?" her mother asked conversationally; the Higurashi's had a few demon friends but not many. Kagome had really never seen as many demons at home as she had in Tokyo.

"Predominantly demon; I don't want them to be in danger, but I'll talk it over with them. Anyway...I'll drive up this weekend. I love you, mom," Kagome ended softly, cradling the phone to her ear.

"I love you too, baby," Mrs. Higurashi said, smile evident. "Just talking to you makes me feel so much better. I can't wait to see you."

"You too. Bye."

As Kagome hung up the phone and set it down on the kitchen island, sighing heavily; it was certainly a lot to take in, knowing that her house was a wreck and her family had just escaped the riots.

"Kagome?"

The girl turned, meeting eyes with Inuyasha, who she'd just now remembered was listening intently. His ears were standing up pertly atop his head like little satellites, framing his big amber eyes. He looked so innocently curious, so honestly worried; it broke Kagome's heart even further down the middle. After a single moment of silence, Inuyasha stood from the table and approached Kagome, tan face distorted in a frown.

"What's going on?" he asked, trying to earn some kind of response.

Even in a moment of crisis, Kagome found herself staring at Inuyasha's chest and stomach with a lustful eye; the very fact made her enormously guilty.

"My house...is a disaster zone, apparently. Some of the riots came through and my family managed to get out before they did, but my house is all messed up. Mom said that everything is broken and that the kitchen is covered in blood...I don't even know what's going to happen now. She asked me to come up this weekend to help clean up and said that I could bring some friends. I know that you guys wouldn't want t-"

"I'm in," Inuyasha said immediately, smiling encouragingly. "When do we leave?"

"But Inuyasha, it's dangerous in Kyoto," Kagome protested, looking stressed across her pretty face. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Inuyasha shrugged. "You live in a shrine, right? Well, if we come in quietly enough, it should be fine up on the hill. Besides, it's not like all of the demons just up and left the city. There's a bunch still there and we won't be the only terrorist target within the city limits. Don't worry so much, babe. You'll get gray hair."

"Psht, I wouldn't be surprised if I already had it," Kagome muttered, frowning to herself.

Inuyasha smiled placatingly and kissed the top of her head, murmuring in her ear, "I'll be right next to you anyway."

The words made Kagome smile slightly and she remembered that, at the most surprising moments, Inuyasha could turn into the sweet and loving boyfriend prince she'd imagined as a little girl. When Kagome began to smile, Inuyasha felt a smile creeping up on his mouth when suddenly his eyes grew serious. Without another word, he leaned in slowly and captured her lips in a kiss, gentle and velvet. Kagome's mind went blank and she forgot what she'd been thinking about for a moment. In that single second, the many cracks in her life seemed to fill and she was walking on solid ground for the first time in months. Without warning, the back door opened and there was a good deal of knocking and banging in the back of the kitchen. Inuyasha and Kagome whipped about to find a dismal sight before them.

Shitora was hanging off the counter top, knees buckled and hair falling in a shining curtain over her face. The smell of alcohol was potent even to Kagome, who couldn't imagine the culmination of scents Inuyasha must be intaking. The white haired girl paused for a moment, muttering something unintelligible under her breath before she moved shakily towards the sink with her keys threatening to fall from her hands. When her hair parted slightly, revealing the face behind it, Kagome found herself confronted with the defeated face of a broken girl. Tears left white streaks down Shitora's tan face and the amber eyes themselves were muddy and far away; that little mouth, normally cheerful or impish, was tightened in a pouty frown. Her shoulders slumped and the bones on her back protruded grossly; she barely even looked alive, she was so ghostly.

"Tora," Inuyasha managed to get out before Shitora collapsed in a tangle of limbs on the floor.

Inuyasha's face was the very picture of horror and worry as he ran forward, falling to his knees beside her as she struggled into a sitting position. "Shitora, what the hell?" he asked desperately, reaching out his hands to steady her.

"Kill me," she mumbled, falling down into his lap as more tears spilled over her ink black eyelashes. "Kill me please; I hate this."

"Hate what? Tora..." Inuyasha looked so lost, Kagome decided it was time for a second intervention.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome called, hurrying out into the living room and running for the stairs.

Before she could even continue, Sesshomaru appeared at the top of the stairs, obviously in a mild hurry, as Rin trailed confusedly behind. If the man's face was any indication, he'd already smelt what could possibly be the downfall of his evening. Rin furrowed her brow and exchanged glances with Kagome, shaking her head as though to ask the silent question. When Kagome just shook her head, Rin's brown eyes grew blurry; that could only mean another problem for their poor little rag-tag family. Could their hand-sewn quilt of a world take any more of this constant testing?

"Shit," Sesshomaru muttered as he entered the kitchen, staring down at his sister and brother in their pile on the tile floor. It certainly was a sight he wished to forget, but Sesshomaru Taisho was too smart for this luxury; his photographic mind was already painting the picture into stone and he knew it would haunt him for a few years at least.

"She's drunk-" Inuyasha began to stutter, only to be cut off by his brother.

"Tell me something I don't know." Bending down officiously, the Fang leader gathered Shitora in his arms and hoisted her firmly into his grasp. Rin, standing nearby with a worried look on her face, started to object to the physical exertion but thought better of it; Sesshomaru was in Fang mode and she knew better than to interfere. Shitora's head lolled back and her eyes clouded over as Sesshomaru whisked her out of the living room and up the stairs, depositing her in her bed with a trashcan nearby before slamming the door shut behind him.

The demon lord returned to the kitchen abruptly, all within a minute's time, to find Inuyasha, Kagome and Rin staring at him with confusion and pain written all over their faces.

"Oh, you haven't grasped it yet?" Sesshomaru barked, eyes flashing dangerously. "She's doing what dad did after mom died; sometimes there's only one way out. I'm going outside." And with this, the Fang leader removed a box of cigarettes from his jacket pocket and stormed out the kitchen door, screen door slamming shut behind him.

Rin gave Inuyasha and Kagome a weak smile, as though trying to reassure everyone that life was still intact, before she followed her boyfriends footsteps. The recent shutting of the door left the couple alone and Kagome bit her lip anxiously.

"What did Sesshomaru mean?" she asked finally, looking earnestly up at Inuyasha.

The boy was staring down at the linoleum like it was the ugliest thing he'd ever seen, yellow eyes bitter and cross. Finally, he glanced up and replied, "Dad was in kind of a slump after mom died and he, uh, drank a lot. Kaede was there a lot...we didn't see him much. But I think Shomo thinks Tora is drinking cause of Ran; I guess he's probably right."

Kagome took a few steps forward, closing the gap between them and wrapping her thin arms around Inuyasha's muscular torso. Her words failed her as she held him, suddenly feeling as though this were the only comfort she could offer. Inuyasha buried his face in her should and drew her near him with his own arms, ill-made for this kind of sorrow. Their world was falling apart piece by piece and they were just like pawns in a chess game. A game that neither knew how to play.

919191

The Shark house was in a peaceful place that evening, even as insanity and pain caused hollows in the Taisho's side of town. The wind from the ocean blew peacefully through the open doorways, bringing with it the lovely scent of salt and clean ocean water. Many of the Sharks sat strewn about the living room, working on their homework in relative silence as was their general practice. Gan had commandeered a portion of the table and was tapping busily away on her calculator, peering through the spectacles she and Akago had been sharing for a few weeks now. Despite her leader's occasional protestations, Gan still insisted that a trip to the optometrist was unnecessary.

Besides the peaceful hushing of the ocean, another sound blew in through the curtains; Akago was practicing his violin on the deck, serenading his friends with the sweet and dulcet tones of the wine red instrument. He was an avid player and Gan often joked that it fit his persona so perfectly it would be a positively terrible shame if he quit. As of the current time, he was first chair in the South Tokyo High orchestra and enjoying his talent for the eleventh year. The music was, at least, a good background to the studying inside.

"This book doesn't make any sense," Halloween complained, scrunching up his nose from where he sat, long legs folded, in an arm chair nearby. "I mean, Oedipus didn't mean to sleep with his mother; why is it wrong?"

One of the nearby Sharks glanced up and murmured, "He went to bed with his mum, mate; that's gross."

"But he didn't _know _it was her!" Halloween protested, orange eyes wide and honest. "I mean, he didn't mean to! It's not like he was sexually attracted to his mom, more like some random woman! The Oedipus complex doesn't even make sense now because it was all circumstantial."

"Halloween, the point of the Oedipus complex is not whether or not he meant to; the point of it is that he was indeed sexually attracted to his mother. Since she is his biological mother and they had sex, he's attracted. The complex talks of men who are attracted to their mothers, case and point," agreed another Shark, shrugging his shoulders.

By this time, several boys in the room had turned to regard the conversation between Halloween and the group of boys. Many of them were also reading Oedipus Rex in their English class and were eager to work out the details before the test. It was a well known fact on campus that the Sharks were the smartest and most well-read gang, which might've served as a detriment to their street cred had they not been such good fighters. Inuyasha enjoyed laughing at their expense, comparing them to British Lords and other such stereotypes. Akago and Gan mostly just allowed him to insult them in such a manner; it was hardly an insult, after all.

"Halloween, it doesn't matter if you agree or not with Oedipus's sex life; just write a bullshit paper on it and consider it done. School isn't about understanding, it's about faking it," said a dark-haired boy, rolling his eyes at Halloween's ignorance.

"But I don't want to do that! I actually care about Oedipus; I feel sorry for him," Halloween argued, pouting slightly. He crossed his skinny arms belligerently as though insulted by his friends' gossiping about Oedipus's shortcomings.

"He fucked his mom but could never have avoided fucking her because it was a decision of fate and not of his own, there, write about it," Gan interrupted dryly without looking up from her calculus homework.

The boys stopped talking abruptly, staring at their second-in-command with wide eyes. "Are you sure you're a girl, Kijo?" Halloween asked blankly, cocking his head to the side.

"Do you want to check?" Gan replied levelly, still focused on the notebook before her.

The boys shook their heads fervently, causing Gan to conceal a smile in her math book. They lapsed back into silence for a few moments, listening to the strains of Schindler's List from the balcony. They had to agree that Akago's playing was very beautiful, but the theme itself was very sad and was causing a damp feeling to fall over the living room. Gan removed her glasses and sighed, rubbing furtively at her eyes; the glasses weren't exactly the prescription she needed and it was causing her a headache.

"Is James back with that Advil yet?" she asked no one in particular.

"He should be back any minute," answered a nearby boy, exchanging a glance with his friend; their Kijo had lately become an Advil junky and they weren't so oblivious; the stress from her coming out had been unbelievable.

"He'd better hurry before my head explodes," she grumbled, glancing at the front door as though hoping the Shark third-in-command would come bursting in at that moment. Just then, a sour note was heard from outside, causing several boys to wince and breaking the atmosphere which had settled over the group. "Akago, that's not how Schindler's List goes," Gan called out to the balcony, smiling slightly. Several boys chuckled.

"I thought I'd spice it up," Akago joked in return as he came walking in from outside, holding his violin at his side. He was wearing his bed clothes, a white wife beater and sweatpants, though he still looked somewhat like the classy English Lord he was always likened to. "I know what it's supposed to sound like, but I never get it quite right. I get too tied up trying to make it pretty and then the notes sour; when the notes are all right, the piece is like unleavened bread." As he explained this, the leader approached the house boom box and checked habitually to make sure the appropriate CD was inside. "I have the recording, but it doesn't do me much good." He set it on the right track and played the recording anyway.

"You were just a little sharp on that last note. I'd say by...six notes at least," Gan joked again, smiling playfully. She unfolded herself from the floor, already in a decidedly better mood.

Akago stuck out his tongue childishly, settling down to ponder the recording for a few minutes. Just then, the front door opened and a man carrying several grocery bags hurried inside; he had shaggy brown hair which failed to match his eyes, cool and grey. He was well built and serious looking, with an air of almost impossible brilliance about him. As he set down the bags on the kitchen island, several Sharks made a run towards him.

"Form a line or something you heathens," the boy complained, shrugging of his Sharks jacket and throwing it dismissively over a chair back. "Kijo, this is yours."

Gan caught the Advil thrown at her and smiled widely before breaking ferociously into the package. "James, you're god-like. I can't tell you how much I need this."

"Addiction is a serious thing," the brunette remarked, accent apparent; it seemed to be some sort of British dialect, though none of the Sharks were explicitly sure. James and Halloween shared the same air of mystery and their pasts were relatively unknown. The same could be said, actually, for most of the gang members.

Gan, ignoring the man's comment, swallowed two Advil dry and sighed happily. "It is indeed; headaches are also." The music swelled brilliantly from the speakers and, on an absolutely odd whim, Gan thrust forward her hand, declaring, "Dance with me James, your my prince at the ball."

"Dance with you to Schindler's List? You're mad," James replied, looking sour; the boy was famous for his generally upset attitude and the suggestion of dancing was ridiculous to him.

"Go on man, what are you, made of stone?" Akago said with a smile. He enjoyed ridiculing his third-in-command, insisting that he was far too uptight and needed to ingest some laxatives each morning; this always served to make James frown bad-naturedly, though he respected his leader more than he could say.

At the sound of his leader's agreement, James sighed fretfully and seemed to break down, offering Gan his calloused hand. "You can't dance to this," he protested weakly, even as Gan smiled like a fairy and took the hand before her.

James positioned his hand correctly on the small of Gan's back, taking her hand out to the side and moving them in gentle circles. Several of the Sharks stopped what they were doing to watch, smiling faintly; over the past month, Gan had slowly been working her femininity into everyday life and this was just another example of her womanhood. Seeing her led gracefully around the living room in her oversized-t-shirt pajamas made her seem oddly girlish and it was comforting to them. Humankind seemed comfortable with Gan being one sex and one sex only. If she was going to be a girl, so be it; she needed only to solidify this decision with a new lifestyle, which she was improving day by day in theory and even in practice.

The dancers never got very close and James looked stiff and displeased like always. Gan was smiling at first but soon began mocking James with an overdone stony expression. The boys laughed even as James grew rather red in the cheeks. Akago watched almost enviously for a moment, head cocked to the side and mind turning the possibilities of the moment over repeatedly. Finally, he decided to intervene.

"She's not a mannequin, James, good God. You look like you're touching plastic," he simpered, grinning as James grew absolutely crimson in the face.

"She's my superior, Toumoku," James argued, still dancing Gan around the floor but appearing quite uncomfortable.

"So what, you're afraid to touch her?" Akago shot back. His red eyes were adopting that playful Gan enjoyed so much and she decided it was time to stop this all.

"I'll let you go, James. He's right Akago, it's weird to regard those above you with a level of physical intimacy," Gan intervened placatingly, giving James a friendly pat on the arm as she dropped his hands, smiling still.

Akago frowned and stood with a flourish. "Oh, so you would be afraid to touch a superior?"

"I wouldn't be 'afraid' to do anything," Gan replied sharply, suddenly enflamed; the word 'afraid' always made her defensive.

"So then dance with me and prove yourself," Akago fired back, smile clever and otherworldly.

Gan's pretty face was flushed with anger and her jaw set like rock. Despite her previous argument, she was determined not to let Akago best her in front of the others and, with trite determination, she stepped forward and thrust out her hand. "Fine, I'll prove that I'm not afraid to touch a superior, especially _you."_

She said "you" with an acidity that made the boys laugh and Akago's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Fine then," he said quietly, taking her offered hand in a gentle manner.

He positioned his hand on her back just as James had, though there was a decidedly romantic quality about them as they danced. Their eyes never broke that never-ending gaze, a battle of rose red and violet. The distance between them grew rather small as they twirled, a side-effect which had ceased to occur with James; their feet moved perfectly in time to the unseen waltz rhythm of Schindler's List, one two three, one two three. As they spun in water-clear circles, Akago's hand tightened around Gan's and her narrowed eyes seemed to widen slightly. If Akago realized it, he showed no indication and they only continued like a lone couple in a room of no one.

"Your form is terrible," Gan whispered, as though trying to make the situation less intimate but failing miserably.

"So is yours," Akago replied in kind; his crimson eyes were now hooded gently and they were positively mesmerizing.

As they danced, the couple was forced to think of all the things that made them so tense day in and day out. There was an attraction, in their eyes an inappropriate one, and it was making life nearly unlivable. Now that Gan was quite obviously female, her feelings for Akago seemed to explode from her chest each morning and whine with desire each night. Akago, as well, seemed to be falling into an abyss of want that not even a friendship could satisfy. As they danced now, finally touching, finally involving themselves in the intimacy they so longed for, there seemed to be no going back.

Several of the Sharks who had gathered around were beginning to notice something strange transpiring between their leaders. At first this had all been a joke, but it was suddenly becoming serious; James and Halloween exchanged desperate glances before James rolled his eyes and pushed the leggy orange-eyed demon backwards into the boom box. His trip caused the CD to skip madly and Akago and Gan seemed to come to their senses with the interruption at their aid.

"Well then, point proven; I suppose you will touch your superiors," Akago said, trying to make the save passable enough to fool his intelligent men.

"I suppose I will," Gan replied coolly, giving Akago one last look before she hurried towards the table, gathering her things. "I'm done for the night; good evening."

"Good evening," several of the boys replied, still exchanging glances; the whole dance had obviously been some kind of romantic forefront and it interested them endlessly.

There was a brief silence before James cleared his throat officiously, sending several Sharks back to their work. Akago gave James and Halloween a pathetic sort of thank-you glance before righting the boom box, taking his violin back out to the deck. As soon as their leader was out of earshot, Halloween and James turned to one another.

"How long do you think they'll be able to keep this up?" Halloween asked in his childish bass, orange eyes fretfully covered with back fringe.

"Not long, by the looks of it," James replied tersely. "We just need to keep them on track until the end of the year. Their relationship could mean bad things for the Sharks."

"But what if they really like each other? What if it's love?" Halloween pressed, looking cutely taken with the idea of his leaders kissing on a hill during the sunset.

James snorted brusquely. "It's not. It can't be. It could never be." And with this, the British boy walked quickly out of the main room towards the bunks, eyes the firm reflection of grey denial.

Halloween sighed helplessly, glancing out to the balcony where Akago was leaning moodily on the railing, violin all but forgotten. Though many thought Halloween ignorant, he knew much about what went on and this was all rather funny to him; it really _seemed _like love, anyway. Why would it be so wrong? Glancing around at the Sharks as they worked on their homework, obviously mulling over the recent dance themselves, Halloween whined fretfully. Whether it was wrong or right, the tension was killing them all.

"Oh Toumoku," Halloween whispered to himself. "You're so in love in hurts."

Outside, Akago sighed and glanced haphazardly up at the new moon. He was indeed. And hurt it did. Quite poignantly.

9191919

**That chapter seemed five miles long, but I'm finally done! I threw in a couple of GanxAkago scenes for the road, they're my favorites to write. As far as Ran and Tora go, I'm going to let them be heartbroken for a little while. I also got Inuyasha and Kagome in there since everyone is so attached to them. According to the polls, here are the most popular couples:**

**Number one: Akago and Gan. (Surprised me frankly; I thought Inuyasha and Kagome would win this one...I guess it's the mysterious romance novel allure or something.)**

**Number two: Kagome and Inuyasha (his name is in the fucking series title; they deserve a little air time and that's my bad. I'll write some mo', I promise.)**

**Number three: Shitora and Ranbou (the most disputed couple ever. Some people love them, some people hate them, but enough reviewers like them that they'll be sticking around for a good long haul.)**

**Number four: Sesshomaru and Rin. ( Awwwwww, I love them!!!)**

**So there's the polls. And just for everyone's inner-smut demon, there's going to be a lemon sometime in the near future. I think we're moving into the time when there would be one and I haven't decided who it's gonna be, but it'll happen, I know that much. Who do you think should do the dew? Let me know. **

**Now, exciting news: I've made a master soundtrack for fangs! I've made and am continuing to make playlists for every single character, which is really super fun, and I've complete eight so far. Each set takes about three hours when I'm doing other stuff, so it's a big time commitment. I'll post one every chapter just for fun, so here's how it works: I made a template for the playlists and here's what it looks like:**

Format:

1. Good Morning

2. Dealing at School

3. Good News

4. Totally in Love

5. Sexy time

6. Laying together

7. Working Music

8. Driving music

9. Activity Music

10. Bad News

11. Angry at the world

12. Angry at your girlfriend/boyfriend

13. Heartbroken and alone

14. Make-up

15. Fight

16. Hopeless

17. Still in danger

18. Mourning

19. Sunrise; it's gonna be okay

20. Title Song

**Okay. So here's Kagome's soundtrack to kick us off:**

Kagome:

1. He wasn't- Avril Lavigne

2. Dani California- Vitamin String Quartet

3. Just Fine- Mary J. Blige

4. Bottle it Up- Sara Bareilles

5. Six Underground- Sneaker Pimps

6. A Bird's Song- Ingrid Michaelson

7. Calypso- Spiderbait

8. California- Phantom Planet

9. Love is All Around- The Tea Queens

10. The Moment I Said It- Imogen Heap

11. 69 Tea- Seether

12. She's Like the Wind- Lumidee  
13. Fools in Love- Inara George

14. These Days- Chantal Kreviazuk

15. Smack My Bitch Up- Prodigy

16. Psychobabble- Frou Frou

17. The Hill- Market Irglova

18. Gone- Jessica Riddle

19. Wasted- Brandi Carlile

20. Just A Girl- No Doubt

**I have terrible taste in music, I'm warning you. But, I currently have 6,236 songs in my iTunes so hopefully I can pick something good out of there. I like Kagome's soundtrack a lot, it's good for driving. It's a little girlier than my own tastes, but whatever; so is Kagome. **

**And finally, I've decided to ask you guys a question at the end of every chapter just for fun. So here's the question to my reviewers:**

**What do you listen to when you read LDTL? I know what I listen to because I've made my master soundtrack (I'm a huge music nerd). Tell me what you listen to because I still need some help with this ridiculous playlist project. **

**Love ya'll!**

**KOLU**


	10. Rebetiko

Hey guys; I won't keep you waiting any longer

**Hey guys; I won't keep you waiting any longer. **

**Since it's been so long, here's a recap:**

**The fight between Ryuu and Bankotsu**

**Shikaruni's strange punishment of art class and the school musical**

**Shitora's drunken arrival at the Taisho house**

**Gan and Akago's waltz**

**Read on, oh ye faithful. (only the faithful would stick around after 2 1/2 months...sorry guys...)**

9191919

_Rebetiko: a Greek dance of grief, passion, romance and bitterness, symbolic of the many stages in a couples tempestuous relationship._

9191919

Kouga Ookami was a thoughtful person. In many respects, one might consider him an over-analyzer and, at a time like this, his sensible tendencies were ripping him apart. At the current moment, he was sitting in his kitchen staring out the open window, wondering if anyone else in ink-black Tokyo was hurting like him. The sunset had come and gone long ago and it was currently three o'clock in the morning; Kouga was, of course, quite tired, but something was keeping him awake. With a wry glance at his throbbing, burning wrist, the wolf demon let out a sigh and gave the moon a squinting glare. Someone in the heavens had it out for him, obviously.

"Kouga?"

The boy whipped violently to face the voice, readying himself to fight until his senses began to recognize the dim sight, the familiar scent, the air which came into the room. Frowning slightly at the smell of blood, Kouga steadied himself and murmured, "Jesus, Ranbou; freaked me out."

"Sorry," the larger wolf replied sheepishly as he entered the kitchen with a startling silence for his size. "I'm still in kill-mode. What are you doing up?"

Knowing his brother had just come from an assassination, Kouga bit back his protests and battled quietly with himself. Ranbou was wearing his typical killer's black ensemble, as per usual on patrol nights, and his shirt front was splattered with the blood of his victims. The sight was hardly as gruesome as the scent, which was murder on Kouga's sensitive demon nostrils; blood was a carnal copper, a deep and poisonous burn which infiltrated the very brain. Kouga hated that smell more than anything else in this world.

"You're gettin' in late," the younger Ookami muttered, hunching over the kitchen table as though trying to hide something offensive.

Ranbou paused slightly as he washed his hands in the sink, allowing the soap to run over his thick hands before he murmured, "I had a lot to do."

Kouga stayed silent for a moment, ice blue eyes a stunning midnight blue as he thought intensely on the subject of family. Finally, he managed to get out an unintelligible murmur.

Drying his hands on a towel, Ranbou glanced up at the low sound and raised a curious eyebrow. "You say somethin' Ko?"

"I said," Kouga reiterated, taking a calming breath, "That you've gone too far with the assassinations lately. I know it's your job...but I also know that Sesshomaru isn't assigning you every single one of those hits. Look me in the eye and tell me I'm wrong."

As Kouga approached him, stopping a mere four feet away, Ranbou looked hopelessly at his younger brother and felt insignificant quite suddenly. Like his father, Ranbou was often dwarfed by Kouga's great presence of mind and this was one of those instances; he knew he was going overboard, especially in the last two weeks, but he just couldn't deal with his life any other way. A silence stretched between them, terrible and complicated, before Ranbou cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders nervously.

"I...can't just stop, Kouga, it's not like that." His voice was low and pleading, like he was begging for Kouga to understand.

Kouga narrowed his eyes and closed the gap between them, staring up at his brother's slightly superior height. "Don't play me, Ranbou. You know just as well as I do that you're using murder as an escape from your problems. That's sick, _aniki. _Sick and wrong. You should kill to keep people safe, not just to satisfy yourself."

Hearing his brother use the word "aniki" was liking being punched in the gut and Ranbou winced visibly. "Ko, I can't deal with things the way you do. This is all I have."

"Cold blooded killing? Good life decision, man. You need to get control of this little problem before it escalates and your suddenly sitting downtown in a jail cell. Or worse, at the bottom of the bay. Multiple weekly murders don't just go unnoticed," Kouga hissed, getting more irritated as they talked; his brother just couldn't seem to see reason and it was becoming more frustrating by the day.

Ranbou's frown deepened and his head began to throb; fighting with Kouga was like a physical workout for his mind and emotions. "I know. I'm trying to stop, just give it some time. Things weren't this hard before..."

When the large wolf trailed off and his eyes flashed with a deep pain, Kouga's anger dissipated almost instantly. The words Ranbou had been able to say were no great secret for the younger Ookami. Without Shitora, Ranbou was floundering; that summer he'd come to rely on someone he thought would never leave and suddenly he had to stand on his own two feet again. He'd become used to sharing his problems with someone who understood and could take some of that burden...but now he was back to the way things had once been. Murder, internalize, move on. Ranbou was no longer conditioned for that kind of stress and it was showing.

"Ran, I'm not saying you two don't have a chance, but you might not have Shitora again," Kouga said quietly, feeling like a murderer himself as these words left his mouth.

Ranbou's head dropped visibly and Kouga felt his heart rip. The large wolf seemed to compose himself for a moment, even though his younger brother was quite sure he smelled the salty, killing hint of tears in the kitchen air.

When Ranbou looked up at his brother, his eyes were red and his face broken, downcast. "Don't say that, Kouga. I can't hear that."

The kitchen was silent for so long that neither brother could remember the presence of sound. They stood like two statues in the eerie moonlight, Kouga's wrist giving a throb, throb, throb while Ranbou's heart felt absolutely nothing but agony. Like two broken toys, the Ookami boys dwelt in their own confusion; when had everything become so bad?

9191919

Kagome and Inuyasha rode to school in silence the next morning, faces downcast and eyes black beneath the lash. They hadn't slept but a few hours the previous night for, like the other nights preceding it, Shitora had come home drunk as a lore. Sesshomaru had swung her up into his arms and carried her to her bed with the trashcan nearby as he'd done so many times now. Not once did he a say a single word as he, instead, just returned to the television downstairs. Rin had grasped his hand and the two of them eventually escaped to Rin's house for angry, depressed sex. Rin had called Kagome at four in the morning, crying about her confusion and saying, "We can't help her, he doesn't want to help her," repetitively, like a mantra. Kagome, Inuyasha and Rin were suffering the pressure of Shitora's secret alcoholism and it made them all look so beaten. Sesshomaru seemed not to care.

"What should we do?" Kagome croaked out, voice still hoarse and tired.

Inuyasha glanced away from the stoplight and focused on his girlfriend in the passenger's seat. She was staring blankly at him, brown eyes pained and weary. Feeling that world-crushing pressure starting to close in on him for the umpteenth time, Inuyasha reached across the console and grasped Kagome's hand, managing a weak smile.

"Don't worry about it; she'll get through it, we just need to give 'er time," Inuyasha consoled his girlfriend, trying to simultaneously convince himself of the fact. He was trying to stay strong for Kagome's sake when, really, he was doubting the future just as much as she was. His sister was in deep this time, it seemed.

"Inuyasha, she's on her way to becoming an alcoholic," Kagome said stiffly. "Time is the one thing we don't have. I don't care if it's you or Sesshomaru, but one of you needs to talk with Kaede about this."

Inuyasha only continued to stare straight ahead as the light went green and he rolled forward towards the school, which was looming up in the windshield view. He and Kagome sat in silence for the remainder of the drive, at the end of which Kagome took her hand quickly from Inuyasha's grasp and stormed towards the double doors. Inuyasha could only watch sadly as his girlfriend charged off, unaware of the thoughts plaguing him; Inuyasha had known at the tender age of ten and he knew it well now: when a person decided that alcohol was the only way out, nothing would keep them from their cure. Shitora was no different and for the second time that year, Inuyasha was beginning to realize that his siblings were too broken for him to fix.

Kagome, meanwhile, was beginning to get incredibly frustrated. "Fucking Taishos and their fucking egos and their inability to understand that things are getting out of hand!"

She brushed her way into the French classroom and threw down her things, ignoring the questioning stares from several students. Miroku frowned slightly and settled back in his seat for a little bit of thought; his friends had been acting strangely and he had the weirdest feeling that something in the Taisho house had gone sour.

Sesshomaru seemed to ignore Kagome's entrance, which he unconsciously attributed to a fight with Inuyasha. Of course, the Fang leader knew that his sister was on the verge of developing a serious problem; this was hardly the point of the matter. The point was that this was a learning experience; his father had eventually lifted himself out of the shadows of drunkenness and Shitora would follow in his footsteps...eventually. Sesshomaru was beyond the point of getting his hands dirty. Considering his recent troubles with anorexia, he was hardly in the best position for this kind of emotional and/or physical counseling. He would let Shitora work it out for herself; his helping her to bed was enough for now.

When Ranbou entered, he did so discreetly and with very little fanfare as per usual. His steps were heavy and his eyes half hooded with weariness; Ayame only noticed because his seat was next to hers. Biting her lip fretfully, the Wildcat core leader held in the many protests which seemed to leap so quickly to her vocal chords these days. Sesshomaru remained rather immobile to her right, reading over the day's French lesson and seeming completely unfettered by his assassin walking in looking like death. Ayame had overheard her boyfriend and his brother arguing in the kitchen the previous night and she was beginning to understand Kouga's vehement position. Ranbou looked like death warmed over and, whether or not it had anything to do with the recent loss of his girlfriend, staying out every night until three wasn't helping.

"_Tout le monde prend vos places tout de suite," _Kayo said officiously as he breezed inside, blue ponytail crisp and uniform neat as it always was. He hesitated a glance over the classroom but eventually drew his gaze back in; it was difficult to look at his hurting students these days. The man eventually opened his course book and scanned the room for empty seats, finding a large hole in the dead center of the room. "Sesshomaru, is your sister here today?"

The Fang leader glanced up from his book, replying, "No sensei."

There was a long silence as the other students furrowed their brows; Shitora Taisho couldn't be sick because demons didn't suffer that sort of thing. She wasn't traveling as far as anyone knew and, if Sesshomaru knew she wasn't attending, she obviously wasn't skipping. When Kayo simply donned his spectacles and started the lesson, the students shrugged and threw themselves half-heartedly into their advanced French lesson. All but one, that is.

"Shomo, where is she?" Ranbou asked quietly, blue eyes confused despite the dark bags beneath them.

Sesshomaru put on his own spectacles and murmured, "Resting." He seemed so disinterested by the fact that Ranbou almost let the subject drop, but his worry was too consuming.

"Wait, what for?" the wolf pressed, suddenly very uncomfortable in his uniform. He remembered how Shitora would reach up and loosen his tie, smiling impishly, her little hands delicate on his neck. The memory made him ache and he felt the very unmanly urge to cry, though of course he could not.

Sesshomaru, looking slightly irritated by the wolf's questions, replied shortly, "Because she's not feeling her best," before turning his full attention to the front of the classroom; Kayo was dissecting a verb on the board.

Though his friend and leader looked to consider the matter closed, Ranbou tried again, "But why n-"

"Mr. Ookami, is there something you would like to share with the class?" Kayo drawled from the front of the room, putting down the dry-erase marker and peering over his glasses at the offender.

Kayo's sharp eyes were commanding and piercing, but Ranbou managed to stare him down as he stood, replying, "I gotta go." And with this, the Reikon leader gathered his things in one brawny arm and walked quickly out the door in a flurry of movement and muted sound.

The students watched with wide eyes as Ranbou Ookami simply stood and left. Kayo looked mildly surprised as well, quirking his eyebrows as though wondering if that had actually just happened. Finally, he shrugged to himself and picked up where he'd left off on the board, muttering, "Damn kids and their impetuous urges."

Ranbou had a very good reason for leaving his French class; he was incredibly afraid. Fear wasn't a normal reaction to the Ookami boy, who was rather used to his usual brash demeanor and reckless nature. It was quite unlike him to feel apprehension and even less likely for him to suffer doubt. At the current time, as he swept down the hallway at a light jog towards the parking lot, he was feeling all of the above. The air outside was growing chilly as a storm blew in, assaulting the boy's nose with all sorts of strange odors; he paid the looming rain no mind as he climbed inside his car and threw it into gear.

The Taisho house was only a few minutes from the campus, which hardly allowed him any thinking time whatsoever. He'd only just begun to explore the possibilities that storming into his ex-girlfriends house demanding answers was hardly the best idea when he pulled up at that familiar curb. He was just wondering if this was the right course of action when he found himself standing on the doorstep. His heart was just about to tell his brain to stop, that he couldn't suffer the torture of seeing her and not being able to touch her, when his knuckled rapped on the door.

It opened to reveal Kaede in her apron, the scent of warming applesauce spilling out around her. She looked incredulously up at Ranbou before commenting lightly, "I knew you'd come, but I just didn't know when. Come on in, boy."

Ranbou seemed surprised by his own confidence as he actually entered the house, closing the door respectfully behind him. His body was practically moving of its own accord, doing everything that he begged it not too. Deciding to follow Kaede lest he actually think about the consequences of his actions, Ranbou entered the kitchen where the old woman was bent over the stove.

"She's upstairs," Kaede said without looking up from the steaming stewing pot.

The wolf furrowed his brow, looking like he were in incredible anguish. His normally square shoulders were slightly hunched and his barrel arms lay limply at his sides; for a man normally considered larger than life, Ranbou was looking pathetically small. He ran a hand through his hair, murmuring, "I don't know what to say to her."

"Tell her what you're thinking," Kaede replied, almost jovially; the old woman seemed unworried about the whole affair. "That's you're best bet most of the time: the truth."

And then Ranbou's feet began to move him again; without another words, Ranbou turned and began to make his way shakily up the stairs. They creaked beneath his weight, reminding him of the days he'd spent running up and down them with water guns, laughing happily as his friends ducked behind couches and ran for the back door. He's fallen on these stairs and gotten his first black eye. Inuyasha and he had once engaged in a game of tug-o-war from the landings and ended up in a pile of limbs on the bottom floor. These stairs held so many memories, as did this whole house. He could still remember the day he'd met Shitora; she'd been standing on the second floor looking over the balcony as her brothers and their friends played. She was so small then, but of course so was he. They'd been together so long without really dating...how could it all just end? It couldn't, he decided. _Hopefully, _he thought to himself, gulping as he made his way down the hallway to her room.

Ranbou was about to walk inside when he thought better of himself; they weren't dating anymore and somehow he felt as though he should knock. The knock was quiet and afraid, sort of like he felt.

Shitora, meanwhile, was lying alone in her bed staring at the wall, her drunken stupor had worn of a few hours ago and now she was left with the terrible aching of a hangover. To aid her hangover, a great flood of emotions had accompanied this pain and was currently reminding her that her life was terrible; somehow, the high she got just couldn't outweigh the pain afterwards. Curling her limbs tightly around her, Shitora sniffed pathetically and continued to stare at the wall; her life was empty and confusing. She couldn't remember anything about the past week, school, home or otherwise. What was she doing? Where was she going? The only thing that had ever been constant was gone...him. He was gone and it was all her fault. For a moment, Shitora thought she smelled that familiar scent, her Ranbou, coming closer. _I really am going crazy, _she thought to herself, tears clouding her vision as she buried her face in her pillow.

"Shitora?"

Blinking, the girl's dog ears gave a twitch and she glanced up; that certainly sounded like him. "Hello?" she called out tearfully, leaning up hopefully before her doubts got the better of her and she slumped down. He was probably just another hallucination; she always saw him these days, even when he wasn't really there.

"It's me," came his quiet, heavy voice from the hallway. "I...I was just, uh...checkin' on ya."

Shitora sat up in her bed, realizing that Ranbou was actually standing outside her door. She was so surprised that she replied incredulously, "You're shitting me. Ranbou?"

Taking this as an invitation to enter, the boy pushed the ajar door open and entered haphazardly, being sure to stay away from the bed lest she attack him. He could barely comprehend the sight of Shitora, half-dressed in her bed, ratty hair falling pathetically around her as he bloodshot eyes stared back at him from hollow sockets. Her sallow cheeks were just adding to his guilt as he grew cold; the room was freezing.

Shitora's heart clenched just seeing him there; he looked so tired it was incredible he could even stand. She knew the reason, of course; no doubt things hadn't changed since they'd parted on those terrible terms two weeks ago. He was wearing his school uniform, which brought Shitora's attention to a very important fact; it was 9:30 and neither of them were in class.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, not in a bitter way but simply a confused question.

Ranbou was about to answer when he realized he wasn't sure as to the answer. Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, the boy glanced down at his shoes and replied, "I dunno. I got worried when you weren't in French and I just sorta...ended up here."

"Did you...did you leave class?" Shitora asked, eyes wide; as a studious girl, she was having trouble comprehending this heresy.

It was at this moment that Ranbou realized how right she was. He had left class. "Oh shit, I totally did," he said mournfully to himself, dragging both hands down his tired face. "Yeah, totally wasn't thinking about it when I did it."

Despite herself, despite her fight, and despite every other circumstance, Shitora giggled slightly when she realized just how little he'd thought about it. This sound escaped her mouth but it sounded so foreign that she jumped slightly, clapping a hand over her mouth; she hadn't laughed in the two weeks they'd been apart. The boy and girl stared helplessly at one another, allowing an awkward silence to settle in, before Shitora cleared her throat.

"Uh, you can sit down here if you want to talk," she said hopefully, croaky and hoarse. She patted the bed beside her lamely.

Ranbou looked at her for a moment more, sad and frail as she asked him to sit beside her; he did so without another word. His added weight to the bed was comforting and Shitora smiled weakly. He looked blankly at her for a moment before he too found himself smiling. After a moment they both laughed slightly and looked down at their hands; it all seemed too easy somehow.

That was when Ranbou really took a whiff of the air around him; where he'd first dismissed the strange scent as a product of Kaede's cooking, he was now beginning to realize that the strange odor belonged to Shitora.

"Do I smell...bourbon?"

"Do I smell blood?" Shitora countered quickly, giving him a caustic glare.

This only caused Ranbou to sigh deeply, replying, "Point taken. We're pretty sad...what the hell is wrong with us?"

Settling as soon as Ranbou dropped the subject of her drinking, Shitora realized that Ranbou's question was a valid one. "I don't know," she responded truthfully, shaking her ratty head. "It's not getting us anywhere."

"Nope," Ranbou agreed gruffly.

Together they sat, rolling their hands nervously in their laps, looking anywhere but each other, until Shitora mumbled, "So...do we have to stay...broken up now? Since we know we're being stupid?"

Ranbou snorted softly, chuckling at either his own stupidity or the awkwardness in the air. "I don't think I can take it any more, so no."

Shitora giggled slightly, observing her hands with renewed interest. "Yeah. Ditto."

Ranbou turned and looked as though he were going to kiss her on the mouth, but seemed to think better of the idea. He settled for kissing her on the forehead instead, grinning down at her with that typical Ookami smile. Shitora found herself smiling in return, almost out of habit but more from the altogether amazing quality of his smile. She enjoyed the recently unfamiliar feeling of her lips turning upwards and the glowing warmth which she felt from head to toe when he winked one of those ice blue eyes at her.

"We're okay," he said.

The very sound of that phrase was almost too good to be true, but she nodded. "We're okay."

"Now...you need a shower."

Shitora just laughed.

9191919

Bankotsu heaved a heavy sigh, staring at the slowly darkening sky as evening winds blew in; it was already the end of September and the fall was bringing in a cold front. He was currently rotating round and round on a merry-go-round, listening to the hinges creak and the leaves rustle. This park was a staple in his childhood; from the time he was born, his mother had brought him and his brothers to this very playground and now, it helped him think. He wasn't much of a musical man; this whole "join the school musical" think was a problem for him. Reputation, pride, ability, it was all a problem.

The demon lazily toed the ground, causing the revolving ride to spin a bit faster for a moment; he stared at the ground as it spun by in a paint-brush blur. A familiar smell perked his nose and Bankotsu glanced up, listening intently as small, delicate footsteps approached from his right; he knew those footsteps well.

Mizumi readjusted the groceries in her arms, sighing contentedly as she continued walking primly across the park. Shale had, only thirty minutes before, run out of milk and celery and Mizumi quickly volunteered to fetch some more at the corner store. Apparently, most corner stores in North Tokyo closed at 6 due to the high crime rate and, lo and behold, here she was in South Side just on her way back from the Mitsukoshi in Meguro. She felt oddly safe walking alone, even at night, but especially so in Meguro and South Tokyo. All of the areas near the port seemed so much lighter than her own home in the North, which, while near several shrines, seemed dangerous at best. Ryuukoytsusei had told her many times not to wander Akihabara at night and, after seeing what several of the men sold at their booths, Mizumi had agreed. Areas like Meguro, however, were just downright nice.

She was just crossing Ueno park at dusk when she recognized a familiar scent on the wind; to her surprise, Bankotsu was sitting on a merry-go-round only a few feet away from her.

"Bankotsu," she exclaimed, eyes widening prettily. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"What do you mean 'out here?' I live five minutes down the road," the boy replied, grinning at the girl as he stood to his feet.

"Oh, right," Mizumi mumbled, blushing. "It's just I live a train ride away, I forgot..."

Bankotsu laughed, closing the gap between them somewhat. "It's cool; I would forget too, nothing really happens here."

"Well, plenty happens in Akihabara; we could trade," Mizumi joked, readjusting her groceries. "Can't get groceries in Akihabara after 6, anyway."

"No way, really?" Bankotsu was puzzled; Meguro convenience stores were open late, often until midnight.

"Unless you wanna get robbed, I guess it's for the best." Mizumi toed at the ground, foot perfectly arched. "I should be going, my train'll be at the station in ten minutes."

"Let me walk you," Bankotsu said quickly, startling the girl, albeit pleasantly.

Mizumi blushed slightly, though the smile on her face was telling. "Sure, if you want to."

The two began crossing the park towards the train station, footsteps the only sound across the concrete save leaves scraping and falling. The sun cast strange shadows on the concrete and caught their faces just so; it was a warmth they hardly knew. Mizumi glanced over, about to say something, when she noticed the numerous bruises on Bankotsu's face; in the dark of the carousel, she hadn't quite seen them. They made him look practically like a patchwork quilt and she knew precisely where he'd gotten them.

She looked down quickly, focusing on her grocery bag, but Bankotsu had already noticed. "Don't worry about it. Don't feel weird about anything just because your brother and I..." he trailed off, suddenly feeling useless. "Well...just don't worry about it."

Mizumi laughed slightly. "What, weird because my brother beat your face in?"

"Hey, he didn't beat my face in; I got him too," Bankotsu said defensively, shoving his hands in his pockets as his face flushed.

Though she reckoned she should've felt apologetic, Mizumi only snorted with laughter. "I know, that's not what I meant. Just...I wish he hadn't." The small girl sobered slightly. "It was a little embarrassing, to tell you the truth. I mean, suddenly _my _brother was in some stupid fight all because he couldn't keep his Tousen temper under control...I'm not used to it being someone I know publically humiliating themselves. People at dance school weren't like that."

Bankotsu furrowed his brow. "Oh, so dance school, huh? No wonder you kick Shitora's ass."

"I don't, really. I mean, in ballet, sure, but she's got so much natural talent that she pretty much surpasses me at jazz and hip hop," Mizumi admitted. She looked awkwardly down at the concrete as they walked, looking for all the world as if the world could swallow her whole.

Bankotsu raised his eyebrows menially, shrugging to himself. "Oh, I dunno. You're probably better than you think. Just because she makes a bunch of faces doesn't mean she's better."

Mizumi raised an eyebrow at the boy and he grinned. "That's right, weird faces. She makes really weird faces and I'm just sayin," Bankotsu replied to her unasked question.

As the girl laughed prettily, Bankotsu smiled to himself and took the bags gently from her arms, nodding at her thankful, sparkling eyes. _She's the most fun I've ever had.._

"Did you get in trouble for the fight?" Mizumi asked conversationally.

The demon beside her gave a snort, glancing boredly up at the sky. "Yeah, we both did. We have to participate in school activities of the principal's choosing to show pride in our school or something. Your brother is doing art stuff and I have to do the musical. Not really my thing...I kinda wanna shoot myself in the face, honestly, but..."

When he trailed off, Mizumi shrugged. "Musicals aren't so bad, I did them back home. What musical is it?"

"No idea. But really, it's not my thing; I can't just be doing stuff like musicals, it'll ruin my rep," Bankotsu continued.

Mizumi snorted with laughter, throwing back her green head jovially. "You're rep? Seriously, you just said that? Oh god, you gang people are priceless."

"C'mon, seriously, it's a problem," Bankotsu protested smiling slightly.

The two laughed together as they passed over the street towards the train station, still talking all the while.

!!

"Miss Higurashi, can you please name the five nengos of Tokugawa Yashimune?"

Kagome snapped out of her thoughts and stood respectfully from her desk, bowing her head to the teacher before replying, "Shotoku, Kyohu, Genbun, Kanpo and Enkyo, sensei."

As Kagome took her seat, Gan glanced sideways at her friend and frowned; Kagome had been rather low-key for a few days and, after school, the cores were apparently gathering to discuss some kind of urgent matter surrounding the new Wildcat's future. Gan had mentally toyed with several ideas, many of them worse than the next; perhaps she'd broken some kind of strict rule and was being counseled. Maybe she'd offended someone and now had to sit through a leaders chastening. What if she had decided to leave and go somewhere else? Gan was almost afraid to ask; Kagome had become one of her closest friends, especially after she kept Gan's secret for so long. Losing her would be like losing the first person who really ever knew Gan...the _real _Gan at least.

"Thank you, Miss Higurashi. Now, moving on to the Tokugawa shogunate itself..."

The teacher's monotone drawl led Gan's mind astray and she continued to wonder about Kagome's troubles. Before she could get too deep into the mechanics of it all, the bell's shrill ring cut across the air and students began gathering there things, relieved to finally be heading home. The day had seemed practically endless.

"Kagome," Gan called out, throwing her bag over her shoulder and dashing after the dark haired beauty.

Kagome whipped around, looking almost frightened at the sound of her own name. "Yes?" she asked breathlessly, face belaying her fear.

Gan studied the other girl's face for a moment, taking in the wavering eyes and trembling lips. Finally, the blonde placed her hand placatingly on her friend's shoulder and frowned sympathetically. "Are you alright, Kagome? Your shaking like a leaf."

Kagome drew in a rather sharp breath and closed her eyes fretfully; ever since her mother's news a few nights ago, she'd been on edge. She wanted to help her family so badly but, as well, didn't want to know what her house looked like. She didn't want to think of strangers defiling the home she'd grown up in, pitting out the yard, rummaging through her things. The idea of it all made her sick.

"I'm fine, Gan, I haven't felt well," she murmured, placing a hand lightly to her forehead. She was indeed shaking.

"You look like you need to lay down...before the meeting," Gan explained needlessly, taking her friend gently by the arm and leading her quietly towards the locker room.

On their way, Gan briefly met eyes with Akago, who was withdrawing a few books from his locker. When he shot her a questioning look, Gan glanced up at Kagome and shook her head mournfully. Akago sighed, strong shoulders drooping slightly, before he continued about his business; it seemed like the entire school was headed for a breakdown. The Shark leader was about to head out to the car and wait for his second-in-command when his sensitive ears picked up an official sounding radio call. Several of the other demons noticed the same sound and looked up from their lockers, murmuring explanations to their clueless human friends. The sound became louder and Akago walked curiously towards the source of it, which appeared to be emanating from the French room.

Inside, Kayo, Bear and Principal Shikaruni were gathered around a radio, listening intently to the broadcast. Kayo was sitting upright in his chair while Shikaruni sat against the table's edge, watching his younger but much larger brother as he stared blankly out the class windows at the road.

"...and the parliament has presented a man named Kurokumo Tice who has comprised a plan to reunify and protect the great country of Japan, more specifically the cities of Kyoto and Tokyo. The plan, though drastic, is being called visionary by many political theorists."

Akago entered the room quietly, nodding to his teachers, who nodded grimly in return. The white haired boy squinted, finding his vision suddenly inadequate; Gan currently had his spectacles. As Akago stood stupidly near the desk, listening to the broadcast, Shikaruni glanced up and beckoned towards the door; there were several teenagers standing there, looking awkward and a little frightened. The room began to fill steadily as the students desperately craned their heads to get snippets of news, suddenly interested in the world around them. Madozu Towers had frightened the community into togetherness, though the next step would be to spark them into action.

"The parliament has concluded their meeting and is currently presenting a three step plan to rebuild and protect Japan," Shikaruni explained, addressing the students softly above the radio.

Sesshomaru seemed to appear at Akago's side, looking slightly confused, though Akago glanced up at his taller friend and shook his head; something about this all was foreboding.

"...and we now have a clip of General Kurokumo Tice himself presenting his plan in a press conference earlier this afternoon."

Those in the classroom would always remember General Tice's voice for the rest of their days, during and even after his time in office. It was strong, deep, commanding and powerful; it was like the belching of a fog-horn combined with the strong call of a trumpet. Everything he said was true upon utterance and everything he declared was immediately law. There was something absolutely unfaltering about General Kurokumo Tice and his voice was reassuring even to broken, bruised Japanese hearts. The room was silent and rapt.

"Japan is going through a political, social and military crisis; this we all know. The most important skill we possess is that of pragmatic reasoning; even when a man finds himself on the brink of death and destruction, pragmatism is his only saving grace. In light of this pragmatism, I have proposed a three step plan for the rejuvenation of Japan which has been recently sanctioned and supported by the parliament. The steps are very simple: control, protect, recapture. I will say these steps again: control, protect, recapture. We will first control our surroundings, make sure that our country's foundation is strong enough both in and outside of the government. We will then protect our people by whatever means are necessary. Lastly, we will recapture and reign in the prejudice running rampant and quell it immediately. Though this plan sounds vague, the specifics are still to come; this plan, ratified by parliament, is the future of Japan. The Japanese government is dedicated to protecting our people and will do anything in our power to ease the pain of Madozu. Healing will happen, we need only be still. Thank you."

There was a flurry of clapping over the speakers as the station faded out the broadcast; the students in the room were talking in hushed whispers for the most part while many were completely still. Kayo and Shikaruni exchanged glances as Bear's eyebrows nearly disappeared over his bald, tattooed head.

"Did anything about that seem strange to you, Sensei?" Akago asked Kayo quietly as Bear joined the other men at the table.

"Besides the fact that Tice just fed us lip service and the parliament ratified it? No, nothing," came the man's sarcastic reply. He ran a hand fretfully over his ocean-blue hair, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Tice has a presence about him, one that's obviously carried him into office. I've heard about him only once or twice before this, mostly concerning the military. He was of high rank," Shikaruni noted, polishing his glasses placidly.

Sesshomaru allowed his hands to rest in his blazer pockets as he murmured, "He seems like the military type, doesn't he? The steps of his plan don't sit well with me...they sound rather animalistic."

"Yes, what species is General Tice?" Akago asked curiously.

"Human," came Bear's flat reply.

The demons stood there mulling over the strange word, "human," staring blankly at the tile floor and wondering "why, why, why." Akago gripped the edge of the table; never before had that word sounded so hideous, so cruel...never had it inspired such fear in him before. He thought of the humans he knew, he thought of Miroku and Sango and Kagome and...Gan. He wasn't afraid of them..was he? Something about General Tice's vague words scared him to the point of immobility; even though he knew little about the man, he suddenly got the feeling that demons were in for a rough couple of years.

The other students were oblivious. They didn't seem to notice anything amiss with the broadcast and were murmuring amongst themselves; Akago could already see it coming into play. While he and the teachers seemed were becoming more and more aware of something major weighing down on the demon community, the normal populous only saw some government plan barely touching their city, their lives.

Kayo sighed slightly, seeming less perturbed than Akago, and patted the younger man on the back. "Batten down the hatches, boys. We're in for a stormy ride."

!!

Sesshomaru stretched his back with a slight groan, popping open his gym locker as he began shedding his pads; this was only his second day back at football practice and he was already feeling the aftereffects of his sickness. His muscles and bones, stiff and unused, were grumbling quite consistently at him for the recent overuse. Sesshomaru was unused to being weak and, though he was becoming more accustomed to it by the day, leaving practice weary and beaten was starting to wear on him. The clicking of cleats and the slamming of locker doors began to harmonize with the steamy hiss of showers as boys poured into the room, stripping themselves of their grass-stained, sweaty clothes.

Ranbou sidled up next to Sesshomaru, opening his own locker and peeling off his pads wearily. Sesshomaru hesitated a glance at the wolf, who looked tired but rather more perky than he had for the past two weeks. Deciding that it looked like a rather good time, the dog demon started up what he was sure would be an unbearably awkward conversation.

"Bou, I was wondering if you could talk to Shitora about something for me; none of us are getting through to her," Sesshomaru said bluntly, keeping his eyes straight forward on the dingy insides of his rank smelling locker.

Ranbou glanced up from where he was shedding his cleats on the bench; he'd barely been listening, but the words "Shitora" and "talk" stuck out enough that he could more or less guess the specifics of it all. "Don't sweat it Shomo, I went to see her this morning; we patched things up."

Sesshomaru blinked dumbly for a second before turning slowly towards his friend. "Sorry, what was that? You patched things up _this morning?_"

"Well yeah, where did ya think I went during French?" Ranbou replied sarcastically, shaking his head slightly. "C'mon Shomo, please."

Not one to be surprised, Sesshomaru quickly composed himself and murmured, "Well, then I suppose I might as well move on to the next topic of conversation. I think I should assign you some help."

Ranbou's head snapped up as the power suddenly shifted back to his fearless leader. Sesshomaru was stonily rifling through his bag making room for his cleats, never bothering to look up towards his incredulous assassin, but Ranbou knew what the dog demon must be thinking: got you.

"Sorry, what was that?" Ranbou asked quietly, wondering for a brief moment if he'd actually heard correctly.

"I just think you're overrun, you're out every night, you never ask the core for help unless you know it's going to be a problem...I just think you could use some help." When Ranbou opened his mouth to protest, Sesshomaru added sternly, "And that's my decision on the matter. We'll talk about it over dinner at the warehouse; Shitora should be out of dance practice by then."

Ranbou snorted from where he was sitting dumbly on the bench, grumbling silently. "Yeah, what does that have to do with anything?"

"She'll be leading the new assassination core, I've decided. I can think no better candidate," Sesshomaru replied, packing up the last of his things. He could just imagine the look of shock and derision on Ranbou's face, but he daren't look up to observe it because the great dog demon would surely laugh; this was the most fun he'd had in weeks. "See you in half an hour then." And with this, Sesshomaru left the locker room feeling decidedly more chipper. His aching muscles were beginning to soothe, actually...

Sesshomaru's face became slightly more stern as he walked towards his car; he'd been presenting the matter in a flippant way on purpose. Of course the idea of his baby sister charging out, armed to the teeth, to kill wrong doers in the middle of the night was hardly his preference, but Sesshomaru Taisho could see facts when they laid themselves out. During the great battle in the summer, she and Ranbou had fended off the entire Northern Assassination Core and not only lived to tell the tale, but obliterated most of their enemies. Surely something could be said for their team work. Sesshomaru's reasoning was as follows: Taishos were brilliant at evading death and one of them should at least be paying back hell for their inability to meet court dates.

Shitora was strong enough to hold her own...as long as Ranbou was there.

!!

"So, do you think you can handle that for me?"

Akago stared blankly at the principal, who was smiling blithely back at him from behind his cherry wood desk. All in all, Shikaruni looked rather pleased with himself as he peered down at Akago over his spectacles, taking in the sight of the Shark leader looking lost and confused for once in his life. Akago blinked again at the question, which was obviously directed at him and not the potted plant behind him, and took in a scoffing sort of gasp of a breath as he shook his snow-white head.

"I...well, sir, with all due respect, I know absolutely nothing about...well, er..."

As the boy stuttered, Shikaruni adopted a Cheshire cat smile and interrupted smoothly, "Fun? You know nothing about fun? Because that's all I'm asking of you, Tsume."

Akago shook his head in near disbelief as he reached up to loosen his tie; it was suddenly rather hot in the dingy little office. "I have plenty of fun, Principal, just not at dances and things like that. And on the subject of the Homecoming dance? Well, I'm positively clueless. I don't know a bloody thing about it."

Shikaruni harrumphed as though to say "well, is that so," as he leaned back imperiously in his office chair. "You're the Student Council leazon to the faculty, Akago, so doesn't that mean you're supposed to be in charge of this sort of thing? I don't have time to plan a dance this year, not while the world is crumbling around us anyway, and you're a very organized young man besides. Why don't you try it out? You've got a few weeks, anyway. How hard can it be?"

"Quite hard, sir. I'll have to contact budget and pick a theme, not to mention reserve decorations and a DJ and escorts to patrol the parking lot...it's not going to be a simple thing," Akago explained breathlessly, voice adopting a slight sneer of irritation.

"Well, that's what friends are for," Shikaruni chuckled, twisting the end of his blonde ponytail around his forefinger like a prince observing peasants on their knees. "Ask Ms. Kiretsu, I'm sure she'll have a plethora of things to say."

Akago snorted, this time with dry laughter. "Gan? She knows less on the subject of dances than I do. She's only attended as a man, so I doubt she has a serious feminine opinion on the matter of Homecoming, Principal."

Shikaruni rose slowly from his desk, looking so officious that Akago thought he might've said something offensive. The principal finally said, "I'm leaving the planning and execution of the homecoming dance in your capable hands, Mr. Tsume. Achieve a golden end by whatever means possible; I'm Machiavellian and you should be too. You may go."

Akago stared at the blonde man for a moment before he realized the conversation was indeed over. Without another word, Akago rose smoothly from his chair and exited the room, leaving behind him the wafting scent of the ocean. Shikaruni smiled mysteriously to himself as he leaned gallantly against his desk as though posing for the most beautiful picture in the world. The phone on his desk gave an abrasive ring and he answered without a glance at the screen.

"Shikaruni."

"It's me."

The principal smiled blithely, eyes suddenly sparkling noticeably. "Ah, there you are. Tough sell?"

"Some rich French guy came in and swept out practically the whole collection, so I won't have work for a few days; it's delovely."

The woman's voice was ironic and laughing, the perfect blend of cream and chocolate. Shikaruni smiled at its familiarity and replied, "I just plugged Akago with the homecoming plans. He was...decidedly unpleased."

"I swear, Numa, nagging that boy isn't going to get him out of the business. The Sharks are his way of life, you understand that."

Shikaruni smiled lightly. "Why yes I do. Quite well."

!!

"...so I guess what I'm trying to say is that I know Kyoto isn't the best place for demons or, really, anyone right now, but my mom asked if I could bring friends because...well...the place is a wreck. So any help would be greatly...appreciated."

Kagome twisted her hands nervously, staring down at her feet; she suddenly felt like a preschooler addressing her judgmental class again. She didn't know the first thing about asking for favors since she normally didn't need them. She became painfully aware of every sound in the room, most noticeably the rustling of clothes and clinking of claws as they tapped the table top or brushed the metal chair arms. The warehouse looked quite odd to Kagome, empty if not for the lounge area which was now covered with gang leaders and cores of the South; they leaned against chairs and squished into overstuffed couches until there was nothing but breathing room. They cast an array of colors over the dull furniture. As they all seemed to debate within themselves, Kagome could practically hear her heart cracking.

Finally, there was a loud stream of out blown breath from the nearest couch and someone declared, "Well, after the game, I'm free."

Kagome's head shot up and she found Miroku smiling brightly at her, violet eyes sparkling. Sango took his cue and adopted the same casual air, acting as though Kagome was in fact inviting them to the beach and not her war-ridden home town to clean up her raided land. "Me too, just after the game would be a good time to leave, less traffic," Sango chimed in helpfully.

Miroku nodded, as though to solidify their save, and gave Kagome a friendly thumbs up. She smiled weakly back at her two friends, nodding shortly to show her thanks. There was another obstacle yet to overcome, however, since Miroku and Sango were human and in a great deal less danger than many of their potentially Kyoto-bound friends.

Ayame watched Kagome's eyes return to the floor; it was the first time the wolf demoness had seen her friend look so downtrodden. Ayame had supposed Madozu only affected her this way, but apparently Kagome was suffering too. It must be difficult to be away from her family during such a time of crisis, not knowing if they were okay or even alive...and no one had even lifted a finger to help her. Ayame bit her lip fretfully; she felt like a terrible friend.

"I'll go," she said suddenly, surprised at her own voice.

Kouga, at her side, glanced up as though considering this his signal. "Yeah, me too. Let's do it." He turned his bright blue gaze to his girlfriend, giving her a slight wink as he took her left hand gently in his right one.

Akago cast and eye over Gan and James, who were sitting quietly beside him on the farthest couch. Gan looked as though she wanted to leap up to Kagome's aid, but she knew her sacrifice would be nothing compared to, say, Akago's or James's if they were to go. James was looking stoic as usual beneath his shaggy brown hair and Akago leaned towards him slightly, as though trying to gauge his opinion. James glanced up, blue eyes unfocused; he'd been debating, apparently. When the two men met eyes, Akago found himself faced with a look of complete and total subservience; as usual, it was up to the Shark. Akago looked to his right as though to ask Halloween's opinion, but found that the tall, lanky demon was currently humming some silly ditty under his breath and patting his fingertips lightly on the couch arm; he was obviously on a different planet for now. Akago sighed with a smile creeping up on his lips.

"We're all in," Akago declared, gesturing to his core with one lily white hand.

Halloween stopped humming for a moment and nodded his head brightly, grinning like a small child. His orange eyes burned through the black fringe of his hair as he crowed delightedly, "I love road trips! May we take the van, Toumoku?"

"Oh, heavens," Akago murmured, a blush rising to his cheeks; he liked to forget that the Sharks owned a Volkswagen bus, nevertheless drove it on occasion. Halloween had once attacked the thing for a weekend and made a splendid mural out of the once orange car; it was now a beautiful but rather gay mural depicting the life and times of Freddie Mercury, Halloween's idol.

Several of the stony-faced demons began to snort with laughter and a good deal of sniggering was heard around the room. James rolled his eyes while Gan hid a smile at Akago's embarrassment, which was quite obvious at this point.

"It's a practical car sometimes," Akago argued the unspoken argument, huffing defensively.

Sesshomaru cut in smoothly with a twinkle in his eyes, "Well, if the Rainbow bus is going then I guess I am too; I must follow the call."

There was an outburst of full on laughter at this comment, which sent several demons off their chairs onto the floor or their friends, whichever was closest. Kagome laughed as well, feeling the tension leave her body as the rest of the demons lapsed into rather casual conversation about the logistics of the trip. It seemed as though she had many true friends after all.

Ranbou chuckled as a sort of afterthought as the room dissolved into quiet talking and he turned to ask Lysander about his driving preference. His best friend, however, appeared to be completely and totally focused on something else; the redhead's green eyes were fixed like two stones on something in front of him and, overcome with curiosity, Ranbou furrowed his brow and followed the stare. Right in Lysander's line of sight was the garrulous Halloween, limbs flailing pleasantly as he clapped his hands in a resolute manner. Judging by how animated his gestures were, the Sharks were still talking about the bus. Halloween's orange eyes sparkled and shimmered until the color was nearly indiscernible; the black wisps of hair curtaining his head swayed to and fro magically.

"Who is that?" Lysander asked finally, recovering from a suddenly dry throat.

"Who, Halloween?" Ranbou asked confusedly. "I guess you weren't here when he came. One of Akago's boys, real fluffy, you know; hear he's one helluvan assassin, though. You wanna meet him? You'll be seein' him around."

Lysander was silent for a moment before he said quickly, "No, no, we don't need to meet. That's fine, I just...was wondering."

Ranbou looked at his friend curiously for a moment before he finally decided that it wasn't a matter worth pursuing; Lysander was a pragmatic sort of guy and he probably had his reasons for asking after Halloween. Lysander kept his mouth firmly shut, lest he say something revealing and instead began to twiddle his fingers. The awkward moment would move on in a second.

Sesshomaru, meanwhile, had taken a seat beside Kagome as she explained the finer details of the trip to him.

"They did the most damage to the kitchen and the yard, mom said, but the whole house is a mess. I only say 'they did the most damage' because there's a hole in the wall and someone dislodged and stole our dishwasher and refrigerator. There's a lot of broken glass and the shrine house is apparently also damaged...it's going to be a weekend affair," Kagome said wearily, rubbing the back of her neck as she attempted to soothe the aching in her back; stress made her back hurt.

Sesshomaru mulled over this information and finally murmured, "Sounds like quite the job. We could use time away, however."

"No kidding," Inuyasha muttered mutinously, giving his brother a heavy stare.

Sesshomaru seemed not to care and only stood slowly from the couch, declaring, "We'll take care of it, Kagome. There shouldn't be a problem as long as we don't have to leave the house or something of that nature."

"No, no, you won't have to leave," Kagome said quickly, smiling to show how grateful she was. "Thank you so much."

"Of course," Sesshomaru said with a smile. "You're practically family." He turned to leave but then, as an afterthought, glanced over his shoulder and asked, "By the way, do you think your family will take to us?"

"Sure, why wouldn't they?" Kagome asked with furrowed brow.

As though to answer his question, Sesshomaru gesture to the adjacent couches and Kagome observed the scene. Many of the boys had beers in hand and others were smoking cigarettes, some both things simultaneously, while Kouga ran his fingers lustfully over Ayame's thong strap, which was showing just a hint of pink above her skirt band. Black Fangs jackets white Wildcats jackets were mixed together, thrown over couches and chairs, adding a musty scent of leather to the smoke and car oil. Just while she was barely listening, Rin said "fuck" four times and "va jay jay" six, not to mention the numerous times someone hollered out "sling me a beer, bitch tits." Kagome was just beginning to realize how difficult this was going to be when her eyes landed on Ranbou Ookami. The total came to one beer in hand, two on the table beside him, an ashtray with four smoldering butts while a fresh cigarette occupied his mouth, enough curse words to offend a sailor, and, lo and behold, he ripped off his shirt while declaring how hot it was. Kagome stared at the tattoos leaking over his tan skin and sighed heavily.

"Whoo boy. Um, I don't guess he owns any shirts with sleeves?" Kagome mumbled to Inuyasha.

The hanyou snorted. "Ranbou's arms are too big for sleeves, baby. He's lucky his school shirts don't rip open like the incredible Hulk."

"Well, my mom isn't big on drinking," Kagome confessed, gesturing to the beer bottles clinking together all over the room.

"What about smoking?" Inuyasha asked as he lit up a cigarette, allowing his smoke to add to the growing cloud.

Kagome shrugged, replying, "My grandpa smokes a pipe and my stepdad smokes too..." Kagome's face suddenly went white and she clapped a hand to her mouth, eyes the size of dinner plates.

Inuyasha asked urgently, "Kagome? Whassamatta? Are you gonna toss?"

"Oh, shit, I totally forgot!" Kagome replied without providing Inuyasha with an answer. "My stepdad's a cop. Oh shit. That's bad. Never mind, guys!" Kagome called out, waving her arms frantically. "Forget it, it's not big deal, I've got it; do something fun with your weekend."

"What? Why?" Rin asked snootily, crossing her arms with a raised eyebrow.

"My stepdad is totally a cop, it slipped my mind; don't worry about it," Kagome continued, grinning sheepishly. "Forget it."

The others exchanged glances for a moment, looking unsure as to what to do. Finally, Ranbou asked dully around his cigarette, "So he's a cop, big deal. It's not like we're gonna post a sign outside that says 'Southern Gangs Cleaning and Gardening service.'"

Kagome whined fitfully, "I know, but don't you think it's a little obvious that we're up to something...sketchy? I mean, when we roll up in Corvettes and Saleens and motorcycles, Tomo is going to know something's up. I mean, he spends his life enforcing the law, what do you think he would do if he found out I was in a gang and I'd brought all of my gang friends into our house?"

Skull and Bones exchanged a meaningful glance and finally, the former cleared his throat. He looked warily through his blonde bangs at Kagome, who was looking stressfully back. "Love, you don't mean Tomo Hokaido, do you? Chief of Police?"

Kagome drooped visibly, shoulders slumping like a pitiful child. "Yeah."

There was a general groan and several murmured curses which ran through the room. Ranbou looked down at the bottle in his hands and took a long swig; he was well on his way to drunkenness at only 6 in the evening, but there was really nothing wrong with that in retrospect. He could use a good drink at the current time.

Finally, Akago stood up and clapped his hands resolutely, calling out loudly, "Everyone, nut up. Stop whining about it and think rationally for a minute; as long as we keep everything under control, there's nothing that would say we're part of gangs anyway. I mean, how hard can it be to hide?" The white-haired leader strolled up to Inuyasha and jerked the cigarette from his lips, crushing it onto the ground. "None of this." Changing directions, he grabbed a trash can and swept the table clear of beer bottles, which landed in the bottom of the can with a loud clink. "And none of this. Shippo, come here for a moment."

At the front of the warehouse, a small head popped up from under a Corvette and Shippo came jogging up, tucking a greasy rag in his pocket. His red hair was disheveled and his face slightly red with the heat of the warehouse. "Yeah?"

"Dress like this," Akago commanded with an air of finality, gesturing the Shippo's current clothing; the gang members drew in the sight of slightly distressed jeans and a t-shirt, complete with a pair of black and white trainers. The boy had a cross around his neck on a modest chain and, besides the grease stains, looked like a normal middle school boy who could easily walk the streets of downtown and arouse no suspicion.

"See, it's not that hard; we all own these clothes," Akago reasoned, patting a confused Shippo on the back to release him.

As Shippo scratched his head and returned to his work at the front, Kagome began to look a little more at ease. "Yeah, I guess it won't be so hard," she said hesitantly, glancing around at her friends. "We should be okay, right?"

"We can always take the truck and Aya's got a Civic, I mean those are uncool enough to be normal cars, right?"

At this comment, everyone turned to looked at Ranbou, who had managed to keep his beer and cigarette during Akago's sweep. As he sat against the couch in jeans and unlaced motorcycle boots, smoking and drinking as sweat glistened over his inked body and light catching the gold hoops in his ears, the others raised their eyebrows and exchanged glances. This was going to be harder than they'd first thought, perhaps.

"What?" Ranbou asked rudely, throwing his arms akimbo and accidentally sloshing droplets of beer on his forearm. Cocking an eyebrow, he leaned down and licked it off.

Gan squinted and smacked her forehead with her palm as the others looked skeptically up at Akago. The boy was observing Ranbou, who still looked a little offended by all the attention. As if to punctuate the moment, Ranbou let out a hideous belch and giggled triumphantly to himself.

"Ranbou, stand up," Akago said commandingly, strutting towards the boy with his crimson eyes narrowed dangerously.

Ranbou looked confusedly up at his fellow leader and stood, staring down at the Shark from his superior height. "Yeah?"

"Take out your earrings," Akago continued, crossing his arms imperiously.

The two stared unfalteringly at one another for a moment before Ranbou reached up and removed all six loops, letting the drop to the table beside him. "Anything else, your lordship?" the wolf asked sarcastically, looking like he'd rather spit in Akago's face than follow his orders.

"Put on some clothes," Akago replied, eyes narrowed.

Gan was holding back a laugh as Ranbou adopted a rather offended look, as though putting on clothes was a difficult task. Kouga just shook his head, marveling over his brother's stubbornness.

Finally, after a bit more staring, Ranbou reached down and donned his wife beater, which still allowed a good deal of his tattoos visibility. Akago sighed and asked disdainfully, "Do you happen to have any shirts with, say, sleeves?"

"That's a little difficult for me," Ranbou replied with conceit practically rolling off his back; he gestured to his muscular arms and said with a rakish grin, "Want a ticket to the gun show? Of course every day is the gun show pretty much."

Akago rolled his eyes plaintively and replied, "Look, either you wear a shirt that covers those ridiculous tattoos or you risk exposing us all, not to mention making Kagome's mother very uncomfortable. A nice woman like your mother would find this strange, would she not Kagome?" Akago asked while gesturing mildly to Ranbou's assortment of ink drawings.

Kagome shrugged and seemed to mull the thought over. "Well, we've never really talked about it. My biological dad had an entire holy scripture tattooed on his back, so I guess she doesn't really mind them."

"But it would be different if you came home with one," Akago reasoned, smiling at the thought.

Kagome was still and quiet for a moment before she finally mumbled, "Well, not exactly. I mean...she didn't _mind _it per say."

The others were incredibly silent, looking at Kagome with mixed looks of horror and wonder. Finally, Rin said with a touch of outrage, "You never told me you have a tattoo. Where is it? Lemme see!" 

Kagome remained quite still, a blush tinting her cheeks. Finally, she said rather coldly, "It's no where I can decently show you, so just wait until we get home."

Several of the teenagers began to snigger and Kagome's embarrassment morphed into anger. "Hey! Everyone does stupid shit when they've had enough Jack Daniels to fill a tractor trailer, so shut up!"

The room went rather quiet as Kagome's angry face peered threateningly over her cheek bones at her friends; the quiet soon consumed them and not a laugh was heard. Akago recovered from the shock of Kagome's tattoo confession and murmured, "Well, that doesn't change to fact that Ranbou, you look like a common street thug."

Ranbou rolled his eyes and growled, "I _am _a common street thug."

"Well, try not to look like one. I'm sure Shitora will take you shopping," the Shark said with a dignified stare, eventually glancing down to pick his nails.

Several of the gang members present did double takes and hissed violently at Akago, making cut-off motions which clearly said "cut it out, that's a taboo subject." Kouga was just about to stand up and punch Akago with a murderous expression on his face when Akago rolled his eyes and said irritably, "Oh, come now, they made up this morning. He left French in a rush and came back smiling, what did you all think he did?"

"Jacked off?" Miroku supplied, shrugging. Sango hit him on the shoulder.

Ranbou actually blushed, a sight which many didn't live to see and mumbled, "Yeah, we fixed it."

"So you're back together now?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Yeah," he said even quieter.

There was a good deal of smiling and nodding, since the teens knew loud congratulations would just earn them an embarrassed punch from their wolf friend. Kouga retook his seat slowly, still keeping his eye on Akago; the Ookami children stuck together and were perfectly willing to do battle for one another. Akago noted this and nodded respectfully to Kouga, who nodded stiffly in return.

"Well, I'd love to chat, but I have to plan Homecoming because Shikaruni is getting apathetic in his old age. So unless you need anymore forceful motivation, I'm going to take off," Akago declared. Gan took her cue and rose from the couch, beginning to gather her things in a hurry.

Rin perked up at the word "homecoming," and began smiling brightly. "You're planning homecoming? Really?"

Akago glanced warily over at her. "Well, yes. Why?"

"No reason...just, if you wanted help with the theme I could-"

"No way, Rin, I don't want to go to some slutty Barbie homecoming dance," Sango interrupted, crossing her arms firmly.

Rin rounded on her friend and snapped, "Like you're one to talk, what if you got a hold of it? What would it be, crazy lesbian mechanic homecoming?"

The girls began to argue in shrill, high pitched voices and Akago looked on the chaos with an eye of intense confusion. Gan sighed heavily and took the boy by the shoulders, hurriedly leading him out of the room. As the pair ducked quickly into the car, sighing with relief as the screaming faded into a high pitched whine, Gan murmured mutinously, "Not smart to mention that in front of a bunch of women who are decidedly desperate to make their senior year homecoming good enough to satisfy their insecurities."

"Well pardon me if I'm not well versed in the ways of women," Akago replied mutinously as he threw the car violently into gear. "I haven't had much practice."

Gan narrowed her eyes. "Thank you for the slight, but at the current time I'm more concerned about Kagome and our situation this weekend. Shall we put James in charge?"

"Of course, I suppose that'll do fine," Akago replied absently as he rummaged around in the console for his glasses. "Do you have the glasses perchance?"

"Oh, they're on my head," Gan mumbled, taking them off and handing them to her friend.

The two talked business nearly the entire way home, completely oblivious to the fact that they're mannerisms and personal patterns together were entirely reminiscent of an old married couple. Even as the other teased, Gan and Akago would take time to admit the fact that, despite all planning and reasonable thinking, they were falling for each other. Hard.

!!

Akago massaged his temples wearily, glancing haphazardly at the clock as the minutes ticked by; it was already 11:40 and he still had no leads on homecoming. Furthermore, he was supposed to be well practiced on "Themes on Paganini" for orchestra the next day. He'd only finished Kayo's grueling French homework half an hour ago and, even after all that work, was currently staring at a blank page. He could conjugate complicated French verbs but he couldn't organize a social event; _how like me, _he thought ruefully.

As he removed his spectacles to rub fretfully at his eyes, Akago's ears recognized the sound of a mug being set down before him. He glanced blearily up and drank in the scent of hot chocolate with a small smile suddenly appearing on his face.

"Thank you, Halloween."

The orange eyed demon nodded happily, silky black hair catching the light like ribbons. "I thought you might need it, Toumoku. You're making your grumpy face."

Akago couldn't help but chuckle as Halloween smiled widely and glided towards the sink to clear away some of the dirty dishes. It seemed that many of the Sharks were taking a late night as opposed to their usual 10:30 bedtimes; James entered the kitchen in his bed pants, opening the fridge to pour himself a glass of warm milk, which he set inside the microwave to warm. It wasn't a few seconds before Gan also appeared, hair restrained back in a French braid. She opened the freezer and withdrew a bag of frozen grapes which she began to pop into her mouth as she wandered towards the table where Akago was still struggling.

"Still caught up in the whole homecoming fiasco?" she asked conversationally, leaning back against the bar as she looked down on Akago's blank page.

The demon frowned slightly and angled his crimson eyes artfully up at her. "These things take time, Gan." When he returned his white head to his work, Gan only had to watch for a few seconds before it came up again. "Alright, go ahead and delight in it; I don't know what the hell I'm doing."

Gan shrugged, taking a seat across from him and readjusting the sleeves of her silky robe, which had been Halloween's birthday present to her just after her "coming out" as they'd taken to calling it. "I don't delight in it, I was just mentioning."

Akago was about to mouth off to her when he really looked at her for the first time; something about the tendrils of hair escaping the braid and dancing across her lightly freckled nose...it was simply beautiful to him. He must've looked for some time because Gan began to feel uncomfortable and cleared her throat.

"Oh," Akago murmured, blinking and adjusting his glasses needlessly. "Sorry, lost my train of thought. Your hair looks very good like that, Gan, did Halloween do that?"

"No, James did," Gan corrected, fingering the unbraided tip of her long blonde hair.

Akago blinked owlishly and then turned to address the kitchen area. "James, you old cad, I didn't know you were handy with things like hair."

James scowled, messy brown hair covering his eyes in the way that made him look decidedly like an axe murderer. "I had lots of sisters back home, Toumoku."

Knowing that "home" was practically a forbidden subject for James, Akago decided to change the subject. "Well, you've got quite the talent my friend; women would love you for it. Now, speaking of women, I should really work on this whole Homecoming thing. I don't even know where to begin, honestly."

"Oh, are we planning the dance?" Halloween exclaimed, head popping up from the sink where he was washing dutifully.

Gan cocked an eyebrow and popped another grape in her mouth, replying with her mouth full, "Why, do you have druthers, Halloween?"

"Of course! I've dreamed about my senior homecoming since...well, forever!" Halloween exclaimed, throwing his stick-figure arms akimbo. The way his face lit up made him seem rather like a little puppy with play-time creeping up.

Akago furrowed his brow, seeming generally confused by this idea, but he decided that beggars couldn't be choosers. "Well, come on over and help me then. You're better than a lot of crazy Wildcats anyway."

Halloween clapped his hands girlishly and quickly took a seat beside his leader, orange eyes sparkling madly. James rolled his eyes and took a languid sip of his recently heated milk, watching the whole scene with dull disinterest.

"Now...where should we start?" Akago asked, sounding a little lost. Gan smiled slightly at the pathetic look on her friend's face. For some reason, she found it rather cute when he didn't know what he was doing. It didn't happen often for sure, but when it did...he was almost like a child.

Halloween replied promptly, "With the theme, Toumoku."

"Alright then, and do you have any ideas on-"

"Masquerade!"

The reply was so resounding that Akago nearly fell back in his chair. After readjusting the neck of his shirt and replacing his glasses on his nose, Akago muttered calmly, "Alright, no need to shout. That sounds like a perfectly reasonable theme with lot's of possibilities. Gan? Input?"

"Whatever," Gan replied indifferently, chomping down on another frozen grape as she threw her blonde hair over the back of her chair.

"You don't like it, Kijo?" Halloween asked, smile fading as doubt crept up in his thin face.

Quickly catching her mistake, Gan replied with a smile, "Oh that's not it, Halloween, it sounds like a lovely theme. It's just that I'm not going so I shouldn't really be involved in the decision making process."

"You're not going?" Akago asked blankly.

There was a silence that stretched out like a blanket across the kitchen, muting every little sound. Halloween looked stunned and depressed by the idea of his Kijo missing out on all the fun while James just shook his head as though wondering how the other two men could've thought otherwise; homecoming just didn't seem like Gan's style. Akago, meanwhile, was still watching Gan expectantly, looking slightly...disappointed? Was that how she should categorize that look? The one where his lips curved down and his eyebrow turned up as though he was trying to look uninterested but failing. Those crimson eyes peered through his bangs like blood on snow; she just couldn't face him in that moment for some reason.

"Well, I mean, I've never gone to a dance before, why start now?" Gan replied, shrugging as though it didn't matter and eating a few more grapes just to keep her mouth full.

Akago replied bewilderedly, "Because it's more important now. You don't have to act like you don't want to go because I know you do, Gan; you're a girl and it's what girls do. They dress up and go out, there's no shame in wanting to check that out."

Gan cocked an eyebrow; was he trying to lecture her on girlhood? "I don't really have that urge, but if you want to go dress shopping and find yourself a handsome football playing prom date, go have at it."

"But what if a good looking boy asks you?" Halloween probed, angling his head to the side like a puppy. "Like that boy you have the date with this weekend?"

Gan blinked dumbly for a moment. "Oh shit. I forgot about that. I promised Kagome I would go with her to Kyoto, oh balls."

Akago grinned triumphantly. "Well, you'll just have to tell him no, won't you?"

"You would love that, I'm sure," Gan bit back, blowing a few stray hairs out of her face.

"And besides, if that little brat tries to ask you to homecoming, you can tell him that you're already going with someone," Akago continued as though Gan had never interrupted. He continued to write down thoughts imperiously on his paper, which was becoming less blank by the moment.

Gan regarded him strangely for a second before she echoed, "Going with someone? You want me to lie? Or you have a suggestion?"

"Me. Go with me," Akago replied, looking up momentarily and allowing their eyes to lock. Gan's violet stare was intense but somehow watery. They continued this challenging look as they absent-mindedly weighed the pros and cons, wondering as they always did who was the smarter of the two. Could they possibly do this? Could they possibly take things to the next level?

"Yeah, alright," Gan said finally, not quite understanding the thoughts going on in her own mind.

Akago let out a breath, staring at her still, though the small smile which wove its way across his features was unmistakable. Halloween allowed his eyes to drift back and forth between the two and he grinned like a rather bright Cheshire cat, long fingers interlacing as though he were imagining the day Akago and Gan held hands.

"Right then, first problem taken care of," Akago said in a half joking manner, obviously trying to pass off the moment to avoid any awkwardness.

James made a derisive sound of the grunting variety, though it went virtually unnoticed by the homecoming planners.

Halloween sighed wistfully, exclaiming rather like a child, "You're so lucky, Kijo; you've got a boy now. I still have to find one!"

The comment came absolutely without warning and Gan began choking on a frozen grape, coughing violently as she spit the little green fruit into her water glass. Akago bent forward so suddenly that his pencil snapped in two, echoing in unison with the sound of crashing plates as James sent his class tumbling unceremoniously into the sink. The three pairs of present eyes faced Halloween so quickly that even the garrulous orange-eyed demon was momentarily struck.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Boy?" Akago recovered, mumbling over his words. "You want...a boy to ask you?"

"Of course, Toumoku," Halloween replied, cocking his head confusedly to the side. "What's wrong?"

"Well, that's an odd way to come out!" Gan complained, observing the half-eaten grape bobbing languidly in her water. "You never even told us you were gay, Halloween."

Akago shot his second-in-command one of his infamous looks, this one being of the "that was too blunt, Gan" variety. The blonde girl looked unperturbed and just shrugged unabashedly, using her index finger to guide the grape around the glass.

Halloween certainly looked confused now. "Gay? What do you mean?"

When Akago's words seemed to fail him, mostly because of the oddness of the question, Gan held up her hands as thought to say "this one's yours." The two were saved as James entered the conversation, placing his hands on the back of Halloween's chair as he explained the world, as though talking to a three year old.

"If you're gay, that means you are romantically and sexually interested in someone of the same gender as you. In your case, that would be men; are you romantically and sexually interested in men?" James barked, imparting this information militaristically.

Halloween seemed to ponder this question honestly for a moment, limbs tilted gracefully like a fashionable skeleton. Finally, he replied thoughtfully, "Well, I've never thought about it sexually. Romantically, I like men."

"Then you're gay," James announced, rolling his eyes to the sky as he exited the room to retreat into his bed where everything was uncomplicated.

Halloween shrugged. "Alright."

Akago sighed very deeply, removing the spectacles he'd taken from Gan on the drive home, and began to rub his eyes fretfully; it was becoming a very strange night.

"Maybe we should stop for tonight," Gan said, observing her leader carefully. "We can think about this in the morning. Halloween, why don't you go to bed?"

"Okay! Goodnight Kijo, goodnight Toumoku!" Halloween said brightly, leaping up from his seat and waving as he swished off towards the bunkrooms.

Akago watched the boy go sadly, suddenly seeming much older in the vague kitchen light. The far off quality of his crimson eyes made them look like a deep, wooden mahogany and Gan became confused; that wasn't just fatigue.

"Akago?" she said quietly; it was almost a question, a plea for him to help her understand.

Akago said quietly, "He'll be teased."

Gan felt her heartstrings give a desolate pluck and she winced, clapping a hand to her chest. Akago cared for all of his men, Gan knew that, but this was just such a heartbreaking situation; Halloween had never really cared enough to ponder his sexuality and being gay didn't really register with him. He had the mind of a child for whatever reason and it frightened Gan to think that his innocence might be ruined by whatever came next.

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Gan said strongly, sensing Akago's fading hope. She was almost hoping for him to give her validation.

The two met eyes, new homecoming dates and old friends, yet the sadness there was not of the ignorable kind. They knew they couldn't be there every time.

9191919

**I know, I know, sorry; I was graduation speaker and I got accepted into my top choice college, WOOOOOOOOO!! BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC CLASS OF 2012! I'm done now. But in any case, if you live in the Boston area, I will soon descend upon you. I love Boston so much and the thought of going to college just makes me SQQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!**

**I'm done. **

**Here's Inuyasha's playlist as our second installment. **

Inuyasha:

1. To See Where I Hide- Silvertide

2. Taylor- Jack Johnson

3. Dysentery Gary- Blink 182

4. Bubble Toes- Jack Johnson

5. B R Right- Ludacris ft. Trina

6. Falling in Love At A Coffee Shop- Landon Pigg

7. Can't Stop- Maroon 5

8. Highway to Hell- AC/DC

9. Remember the Name- Fort Minor

10. Fallen Leaves- Billy Talent

11. Papercut- Linkin Park

12. I'm So Sure- Puddle of Mudd

13. Should've Listened- Nickelback

14. The Fear You Won't Fall- Joshua Radin

15. Stricken- Disturbed

16. Butterflies and Hurricanes- Muse

17. I Eat Dinner- Rufus Wainwright

18. Size Too Small- Sufjan Stevens

19. Everybody is Someone- Lifehouse

20. My Hero- Foo Fighters

**Okay, expect the other chapters quicker. I'm going to try to get a lot of work done on the story this summer, hopefully it'll all come together so that by the time I get to Boston, I'll just be tying up loose ends. Love you guys.**

**KOLU**


	11. Milonga

Kagome stared at her suitcase, at the strange clothes inside, and suddenly felt very alone; this large room, this large house, this large life

**I know it's been a long time; things that I didn't anticipate got in the way. But even if it takes forever, just know that I'll never stop writing this story; it's my baby. I'll always keep writing, so rest assured, I guess. **

**I had some pretty bad writer's block, too; unlike me, but it happened. This chapter was hard. But I added a treat for you and I at the end. Well, I think it's a treat. It's the very last scene and you guys'll understand when you get there.**

**Thanks again for all of your excellent reviews; you know I cherish every single one. Kougas #1 Fan, don't worry; no matter how much Sky High entices me, I'll NEVER put this story down. Sometimes I just need a break, lol. **

**Read on!**

9191919

_Milonga: A variation of the Argentine tango in which the legs and body must be completely relaxes and the dancers move as though walking, rocking carefully and unsurely from their heels to their toes and back again._

9191919

Kagome stared at her suitcase, at the strange clothes inside, and suddenly felt very alone; this large room, this large house, this large life. Was it all hers? Because four or five months ago, she'd delighted in pink polos and gushed over Prada stilettos. Now she wrapped herself in black leather and lit up a cigarette to feel like Marilyn Monroe; what did that say about her? Which persona had she faked?

Brown eyes downcast, Kagome snorted to herself and tossed in another pair of beat up jeans for good measure; in the back of her mind she knew this was hardly a fashion show. Her mother's opinion would always mean something to her and she was afraid that, in lieu of her new gang activities, she and her mother might not be as close. Perhaps that pink polo could bring them closer. Or was it all just irreparable?

"Knock knock."

Kagome whirled to face her doorway, finding Rin smiling distantly at her from the doorframe, upon which she leaned rakishly. Kagome returned the vague smile with her own faint one and then glanced fruitlessly down at the carpeted floor, picking at the weave like a nervous grasshopper. Just looking at these old clothes made her insides clench; she was a big fake. What if someone found out?

Rin waltzed inside, falling to the bed on her stomach so that she could calculatively watch her cousin. Rin's dark-rimmed eyes strayed to the suitcase and its contents, which were nearly offensive to her eyes.

"Polos...how cute," she said with a noticeable grimace on her face.

Kagome fixed her cousin with a scathing glare. "We dress like normal people in Kyoto, sorry if that bothers you. I've been meaning to talk to you about that, actually. About the way we're dressing when we get there."

Rin cocked an eyebrow and shrugged. "Sure. Like, t-shirt and jeans? That kind of thing? I mean, it's yard work and house work, right?"

"Yeah, so that means your boobs should pretty much be inside your shirt," Kagome said frostily, giving her cousin the infamous Higurashi eye.

Rin knew her cousin was trying to slight her, but had already decided that she wouldn't let Kagome's bad mood affect her own. If her cousin needed a scapegoat in this time of great stress, Rin was more than happy to provide; she just wasn't willing to give her entire mood to the affair. Kagome was already uptight because, contradictory to their original plan, the group had decided to leave Saturday morning instead of Friday night. The football game, like all those before it this season, had been cancelled due to the opposing team's inability to travel after Madozu. Most schools in the area were ruling out field trips in order to protect against terrorism, but the South Tokyo team was getting restless. The boys were, without a doubt, in much too sour a mood to leave after this turn down.

Deciding it was her job to keep the times light-hearted, Rin gave a mock salute and declared, "Aye aye, captain. I swear my nipples will be covered at all times and my cleavage appropriate for temple."

"Oh good," Kagome drawled, rolling her eyes; sometimes her cousin didn't know when to take things seriously and this felt like one of those times.

"Well, I'm going to spend the night at Sesshomaru's, so I'll meet you at the warehouse tomorrow morning," Rin said kindly, removing herself from the bed and walking towards the door; she could tell that Kagome was hardly in the mood to talk about trivial things and Rin was hardly ever in the mood to talk about anything else. Her cousin obviously needed some alone time. "Good night, Kagome."

"Good night, Rin," Kagome responded, trying to muster a nice smile as Rin left; she knew she'd been harsh and Rin took it like a saint just as she always did. Rubbing her eyes fretfully, Kagome stood wearily to her feet, unfolding her legs as she stepped carefully over her suitcase. The house lights were still on even as the backdoor closed downstairs; though Rin had stepped out for the night, suitcase in tow, the Jackrabbits were still up as always. Though Skull generally needed 10 hours of sleep to be functional, the others played cards well into every night. As she neared Max's door, the murmuring voices behind it brought a smile to her lips. She knocked.

"Come in, love."

Kagome pushed open the door to find Axle, Max and Bones sitting around a cheap looking card table, which was strangely out of place in the room of expensive furniture. The three boys were shirtless and languid looking, occasionally scratching their chests and arms as the waxing fall brought with it dry air. Beer bottles littered the table, causing wet rings which invaded the cards and dampened their edges. The whole scene looked quite hilarious amidst the richness of Rin's house.

"How ya doin', Sheila?" Bones asked kindly, smiling his wide smile and raising his beer to her. "Like a beer?"

"No thanks," Kagome replied, shrugging and smiling almost shyly. She didn't necessarily want to talk, but craved the company of others; she hoped the Jackrabbits could understand that.

Obviously Max could, for he dragged up a folding chair next to him and nodded to it, saying, "Go ahead and take a seat, girl. We're just shootin' the fuckin' breeze."

Kagome smiled and sat down in the specified chair, pulling her knees up to her chest as the boys continued their conversation. Apparently when Kagome had walked in, the three had been playing a strange game. It seemed as though Bones and Axle knew the rules of the game but Max was still confused. Kagome watched intently.

"Alright mate, we'll try this again," Axle said, eyes twinkling mischievously. "Snaps is the name of the game and the name of the game is snaps. Here we go." He snapped twice. "Maybe you'll get it this time." He snapped three times. "No go? Get me now. Watch closely." He snapped once. "You understand?"

Bones declared, "Hemingway."

"Right," Axle said with a grin.

Max stared, narrow-eyed, at his best friend with an incredibly confused look on his gnarled face. The gross flesh looked almost horrifically comical when contorted in distress, such as it was now. "Wait, what the bloody fuck?" He gestured wildly to Bones. "How the hell does he get it every single time and you two don't fuckin' talk or nothin'?"

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Play again, Axe."

The man obliged, shaking his blue head with a small smile on his face. "Your turn, Bones. Hit me."

"Alright," the cherry-headed man declared, clapping his bony hands together. "Snaps is not the name of the game, the name of the game is not snaps. Quit staring and listen." Five snaps. "Even Axle gets it. Each time it's the same. Now do you get it?"

"Elizabeth I," Axle said triumphantly, clapping his hands.

Kagome began to nod slowly to herself, mulling over the game in her mind. "One more time."

Axle nodded as well; Kagome was catching on, apparently. "Snaps is the name of the game, the name of the game is snaps. Get it now?" One snap. "Catch my drift? Keep listening. Tell me what I mean."

"Gackt," Kagome interrupted before Bones could answer.

The two boys began to clap and laugh while Max gave the table a small fist pound. "What the fuck? I watch for fucking half an hour and you get it in three rounds? Kagome, stop being so fucking smart, alright?"

Kagome giggled and patted Max on the shoulder, replying, "I'll try my best to be a dumbass."

The other boys laughed and even Max managed to scoff, reaching over to tousle Kagome's already messy ponytail. As Kagome laughed and swatted away his hand, Max smiled almost fondly and leaned back in his chair, observing the scene; Max was a simple man and wanted for very little. He absorbed the moment, his friends and family, the beer, and found himself happier than he'd been in a long time. Axle seemed to understand Max's feelings and nodded slightly from across the table, offering the only support Max needed.

"So you guys are staying behind, is that true?" Kagome asked tentatively, not wanting to break up their happy moment but wanting to know all the same.

Max frowned slightly, replying, "Yeah, that's right; your stepdad's not a close fuckin' friend of mine, get me?"

"Me too," Bones replied, shrugging apologetically. "I wish we could help, but we offered to say behind and look after things while Sesshomaru's gone. I'm not sure he could go otherwise."

"He's an important guy," Kagome agreed, tossing her hair over the back of the chair; she hated how it got caught between the rungs and her back.

"Akago asked me to help one of his guys look after the Sharks," Axle supplied, running his thumb absently over the lip of a beer bottle. "Don't know why he asked me, but it's kind of an honor, isn't it?"

"You're kinda like a Shark, I guess," Kagome mused. "You're all chill and copasetic, like a surfer with a perfect IQ or something."

"What a flatterer, I think," Axle joked, tossing his blue dreadlocks to the side.

Kagome giggled and smiled at the boys around her, feeling suddenly quite alright as they smiled back at her; the day that had seemed so bad was suddenly not so terrible. Her friends meant more to her than they would ever know.

!!

Kouga stared silently up at the ceiling, wreathed in the twilight of dawn; blues and subtle grays entered through his open window as he smoked languidly, Ayame's silken hair soft on his chest. A gentle breeze ruffled Kouga's bangs, upsetting the drifting smoke trail as well. His thoughts were complicated and many, no matter how desperately he tried to calm them. As the aching in his wrist peaked slightly, Kouga frowned; he was beginning to think he'd actually injured himself that day one week ago. Inuyasha hadn't been blocking and...well, suffice it to say he was hurting from it now.

Ayame shifted peacefully in her sleep, resettling her head so that it was settled just under his chin in the crook of his neck. He could feel her soft warm breathing and, in a rare moment where he craved closeness, Kouga settled his hand over her heartbeat; steady and perfect as always. He savored her scent; lilac flowers, clean and powerful, just like her. Though some shied away from love, Kouga was quite used to it by now. After all, he'd loved Ayame since they were children and would love her for many days onward. It didn't embarrass or compromise him. He cared for nothing but her, frankly.

Just as his thoughts were reaching their pensive limit, the phone at Kouga's bedside began to glow and buzz, dancing its way across the table. Ayame snuffled softly and her eyes opened sluggishly just as Kouga reached over one brawny arm to click off the alarm; it was certainly going to be an early morning for everyone.

"What time is it?" Ayame asked quietly, voice thick with sleep.

"Four thirty," Kouga replied with a small smile on his face; Ayame was adorable with that slept-in look in her eyes.

Ayame simply snorted however and mumbled, "I think you're mistaken; I don't get up at four thirty."

Kouga snorted slightly as he untangled his naked body from his twisted bed sheets. "My fault; I should've let you get some sleep."

Ayame blushed at this roguish Ookami comment and tugged the sheets unconsciously closer to her chin. "I got enough sleep, thanks. I'm resilient."

This caused Kouga to bark with laughter and he offered her an ice blue wink in the darkness, one which Ayame could make out quite clearly against the black. With nary a word, Kouga pulled on a pair of jeans and kicked open his room door, departing for the kitchen as Ayame heaved herself out of bed. Despite her embarrassment, Ayame found herself smiling along as she searched in vain for her bra; waking up beside Kouga was somehow the most rewarding part of her day.

When Kouga entered the kitchen, he found Ranbou leaning against the countertop, freshly lit cigarette giving off a faint trail of smoke as he perused the morning paper. The coffee machine was bubbling, much to Kouga's relief, and the smell of newly cooked bacon radiated from the microwave; even at 4:30, the Ookami house was in perfect working order.

"You look chipper," Kouga half joked to his brother as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Ranbou glanced over his newspaper at Kouga's back, smiling slightly. "Yeah, I got a good seven hours of sleep last night. Most I've had since, hell, I dunno when."

"Since the middle of August, at least," Kouga filled in, shaking his head menially as he took a sip of the scalding hot hazelnut brew. "You're workin' too hard, bro."

"Yeah, you and Sukini love to tell me that," Ranbou replied gruffly, looking a little touched all the same. "I'm just tyin' up loose ends from all this Naraku bullshit. It'll be over soon enough."

Though his brother looked content to return to his reading, Kouga stirred his coffee gently as he asked, "Rumors of an addition to your core are starting to circle. Do you know anything about that?"

Ranbou didn't reply for a moment, though his eyes stopped moving across the page; it was a swift internal debate which let him to his next comment. "Shomo mentioned something like that, yeah. Not an addition, more like...another group working with us, I guess."

"The Sharks?" Kouga guessed. "I've heard some crazy rumors about Halloween, you know."

"No," Ranbou interrupted sharply. When Kouga quieted, the elder Ookami corrected more gently, "Sukini and some of her boys."

Kouga was quiet for a moment, gauging to look on Ranbou's carefully masked face; Kouga knew that if Ayame was soon to be placed in such immanent danger, he would be absolutely mortified. Ranbou, however, was a much different man and Shitora a considerably different woman. Shitora had proven a few times already that she was not averse to killing and would willingly lay her life on the line for her brothers' business. Perhaps Sesshomaru knew what he was doing, assigning such a fighter to Ranbou's ranks. Furthermore, if Shitora was put in charge, she wouldn't hesitate to whip her ranks into shape. She'd already proven this in dance, of course.

"You okay with that?" Kouga asked nonetheless.

Ranbou sighed, folding his paper resignedly on the table; it was no use pretending to read. "I guess. We had some trouble fighting together this summer, you know, lookin' over the shoulder and that kind of thing. I don't know if Sesshomaru knows exactly what he's gettin'."

This only provoked a snort from Kouga, who replied, "Sesshomaru always knows what he's getting. Don't worry about it."

"Yeah, I'll try not to," Ranbou replied, looking quite unsure about the whole affair. It wasn't that he thought Shitora incapable of taking care of herself; she'd proven over the past five years or so that she was perfectly capable, as well as willing. No, it was actually worrying about himself which really occupied his time these days; with his instincts screaming to "take care of his mate," how would he fair in the field of combat?

"Morning," Ayame said sleepily, immediately zeroing in on the bubbling coffee pot as she entered the kitchen.

Cheeks suddenly rather red, Ranbou began putting away the paper and clearing away the now empty coffee cups and half full ash trays. Ayame watched him carefully for a few moments as he busied himself over needless tasks, all the while avoiding her gaze. Kouga noticed his brother's behavior as well, though he simply chuckled to himself and took a triumphant bite of bacon.

"Do I make you nervous, Ran?" Ayame teased gently, reaching back to tie up her hair; Kouga's hand prevented her from doing so as he began running his hands longingly through her curls, giving her a pleading glance; it obviously said something along the lines of "leave it down for me."

Ranbou glanced up just in time to witness this and he began to flush once more, this one more crimson than the last. Ayame cocked her head to the side, laughing slightly. "What's gotten into you, Ranbou? You look like a tomato."

Ranbou mumbled something in response, something that even the two demons behind him couldn't understand. The couple exchanged glances and carefully watched Ranbou's muscular back and shoulders twitching beneath his wife beater as he cleaned dishes in the sink.

"Someone's jealous," Kouga said smugly, continuing his laughter from earlier. "Oh, this is too good."

Ayame still seemed confused. "What?" she asked, squinting to see if she'd missed something.

"Blue balls," Kouga chortled, shaking his head. "Ranbou has some killer blue balls."

A chorus of shattering glass plates echoed from the sink as Ranbou practically tripped forward, shaking with what could've been anger or embarrassment. When he finally rounded on his brother, the large wolf could only point a threatening tan finger and mutter, "Shut it, pup."

Ayame blushed prettily, snorting with laughter all the same. Ranbou narrowed his eyes and began to exit the kitchen when Kouga called after him, "Still no sex? Damn, she's holding out like a virgin in church! What happened to Ran Man's bag of tricks?"

"We've been too busy fighting to fuck, pup, something you two lovebirds obviously can't understand because your relationship is so fucking perfect!" Ranbou practically screamed, throwing up his hands in irritation as he stormed towards his room to gather his things for the weekend trip.

Kouga bit his lip, wondering if his teasing has gone too far; he had no idea Ranbou was so sensitive about it. Ayame ceased her laughing and glanced up at Kouga, who looked slightly worried by his brother's quick departure.

"Don't worry, he'll get over it," Ayame soothed, lightly touching Kouga's cheek with the palm of her hand.

Kouga smiled, though it was slightly edgy still. "Yeah, I know. Come on, we gotta be at the warehouse in ten."

Ignoring her boyfriend's quick subject change, Ayame nodded with a bright smile and followed Kouga towards the bedroom, gathering their bags to throw in the tailgate. Even when an anxious looking Ranbou joined them outside, no words were spoken. The three entered the truck and rode silently to the warehouse, preparing for their long, arduous journey.

!!

"So...how do you want to do this?"

The Southern cores stared at the array of "normal" cars, allowing their eyes to drift down the line. Everyone had pitched in to bring together cars appropriate for a road trip, as well as appropriate for the perusal of Kagome's mother; in this case, Lamborghinis and Eclipses just didn't seem appropriate. As the teenagers stood there in their strangely mainstream apparel, most of the girls in jeans and t-shirts while the boys seemed to be favoring polos, the gangs cut a sad picture. Somehow, it didn't seem right without a certain amount of pleather in the picture.

The absence of shining red sports cars was, likewise, a vision skewer.

"Four of us in the truck," Ranbou offered.

"Four comfortably in the Celica, but if you wanna brave five, we can do it," Sango chimed in.

Kagome glanced over her shoulder, looking slightly weary and on the edge but satisfied to see the group gathered together. "How many of us are there?"

"Six couples and Bankotsu and Hiten, so fourteen," Miroku reported after a quick head count.

"Thanks Roku, rub it in," Hiten muttered while Bankotsu merely rubbed at his eyes fervently; it was too early for such humor.

"Okay, so we have eight people accounted for as far as cars go," Kagome interrupted, sending Bankotsu and Hiten a pitying smile. "That leaves six people. What else should we take?"

Inuyasha simply pointed to a car a little down the way. "Oh, we have _got _to take that."

Everyone turned to observe the Sharkmobile, as it was currently being called, standing proudly in all of its flaming glory. Gan and Akago gave a symbiotic sigh, both shaking their heads piteously; it was almost too embarrassing to leave the garage after Halloween's paint job. The VW bus was still the round, Twinkie shape of old, yet it was not the customary orange. No, it now boasted the colorful mural depicting the life of Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen. It began with a solemn looking boy on the back of the car, then a young man playing the piano on one side whilst a slightly older man sang into a microphone on the other. The hood was where everything came to a head; the hood was an enormous, full length portrait of Freddie Mercury, one hand saucily on his hip whilst he winked roguishly. These pictures were set off by rainbows, music notes and several twittering bluebirds. It was truly...a masterpiece.

Kagome was valiantly keeping her laughter under control as she said calmly, "Yeah, that fits six, doesn't it?"

"If not more," Akago agreed, face comically forlorn.

"Then the bus it is," Kagome said resolutely, twisting her lips to hide a smile.

At these words, Kouga, Inuyasha and Miroku shouted, "To the Sharkmobile!" before dashing towards the vehicle whilst singing the Batman song. The girls burst out laughing as Akago and Gan looked even more downtrodden; perhaps if they left the car in Kyoto, the other Sharks wouldn't notice. It was damaging their rep.

The boys returned, laughing themselves as they patted Akago and Gan reassuringly on the back, obviously still overcome with how ridiculous the car was.

"I think Kagome and I are probably going in the Celica," Inuyasha conceded, smiling at Kagome, who smiled thankfully back.

"And I'm obviously riding in the Celica with my lovely Sango," Miroku filled in, winking at his girlfriend who only shook her head at his flirting.

Kouga shrugged. "I'll do whatever Ayame wants to do."

"Whipped," came Ranbou's low call from the crowd of teens.

Kouga shot a warning glance at his brother, who only grinned; it was time for payback for the morning's teasing.

"I wouldn't mind riding in the Sharkmobile," Ayame announced, smiling widely. "It's cute, I don't care what the boys say."

"Cute is certainly one word for it," Gan muttered to herself, catching Akago's snort from beside her.

"Sukini and I are in the truck, we'll take Bank and Hiten," Ranbou entered in, grinning at the boys who sent him relieved smiles; Ranbou and Shitora were, by far, the least smootchy of the couples. That is, discarding Gan and Akago; the tension between them only served to make the others uncomfortable anyway and the were considered just as bad, if not worse, than the most exposing of couples.

"Then I suppose that leaves us to the van," Sesshomaru announced to the remaining teenagers, all of whom seemed slightly excited by the idea of actually traveling in the ridiculous thing.

Bags were thrown unceremoniously into the trunks of every vehicle whilst friends said brief goodbyes; Sango, Ranbou and Akago consulted a large roadmap before deciding on the simplest route. As the cars pulled out onto the road, Kagome glanced into the rearview mirror at her strange little home fading away in the distance. It was difficult to understand how she could consider a warehouse her home, but Kagome was resolute; more and more these days, the Fangs were her everything.

!!

Akago gazed out at the endless highway, on which he had yet to see a car. The group was already an hour and a half into their trip and the drivers were becoming increasingly used to the empty road, which was ghostly and comforting simultaneously. The white haired demon kept one hand firmly on the wheel of his dated bus as squinted at the horizon many miles before him. Though the journey had been uneventful as of yet, Akago was having minor difficulty seeing the road. In the silence of the cabin, Akago sighed; the others had fallen asleep virtually when he began driving and he occasionally observed them all, a blurry vision in his rearview mirror. Since the backseat of the bus had been once removed, there was now what one might consider a bed in the back; Akago thought of it more as a mattress covered with colorful cloth, yet his friends didn't seem to mind. Kouga and Ayame were laid out across one another while Sesshomaru leaned placidly, eyes closed, against the wall, Rin asleep in his lap.

Akago glanced sideways at Gan, who was occupying the front seat; she was twisted in her seat belt, head resting quietly against the window as she dozed. Her mouth was slightly open as tendrils of blonde hair clouded her face, making her look almost otherworldly as the sun rose before them; the way the light caught her hair, ever so slightly...

Though he was lost for a moment in the sight of her, Akago soon saw a familiar glint in her hair and let out a small, triumphant sound; his spectacles. Reaching over tentatively, Akago withdrew the glasses carefully from Gan's hair, where they had obviously been pushed upwards in one of her irritable moments. Smiling at his accomplishment, Akago placed the glasses on his nose, wherein they began to slide obstinately downwards. Akago had begun to realize that his nose was far too sloped for glasses, a fact which irritated him immensely. If the gods saw fit to grace him with poor vision, they could at least allow him a nose conducive to corrective eyewear.

Gan sighed and Akago glanced over at her, finding that she was now smiling slightly in her sleep; it was rather unlike Gan to smile and she hadn't smiled about anything lately. That smile was so unfamiliar that Akago regarded it like a magical occurrence untamed by the restraints of humanity. The curious look in his crimson eyes must've been quite a sight, for Sesshomaru chuckled.

"You're pathetic."

Akago nearly jerked the car at the deep and unexpected voice, which interrupted his thoughts from the back seat. Sesshomaru absent-mindedly stroked Rin's hair as she slept, angling his mischievous amber eyes upwards at the rearview mirror; he could see Akago observing him, wild-eyed, from there.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack," Akago snapped, pushing up his glasses as he fervently stared at the road, careful to keep his voice down.

"My mistake," Sesshomaru conceded, smiling softly. "I only saw fit to comment on your patheticness. I don't suppose you've watched yourself watching her; it's like a child staring at a puppy through a pet shop window. Ridiculous, really."

Akago colored slightly, looking rather pink from his cheeks down through his neck. "Keep your voice down, you imbecile, there's people in this car."

"Asleep," Sesshomaru dismissed easily. "Kouga sleeps like a rock when he wants to and Ayame barely sleeps, so any sleep is wanted. Rin has legitimately slept through hurricanes, notice the plurality, and Gan...well, why don't you tell me about Gan's sleeping habits?" The devilish smirk on his face made Akago want to rip out his eyes, no matter how awkwardly he might have to crane over the seats.

"She sleeps lightly, if at all, so you should shut your mouth!" Akago hissed in return.

"Honestly, why do you torture yourself like this?" Sesshomaru continued, as though Akago had never spoken. "If you like her, just tell her so. It would relieve us all, believe me."

"Like she would accept me. You speak of things you know nothing about," Akago replied, trying to dismiss Sesshomaru as he inched his way under the Shark's skin. Sesshomaru was a manipulative creature, as he'd proven time and time again, and Akago was determined not to let the Fang leader weasel his way into his consciousness. It would be most unpleasant for Akago to find himself interrupted daily by Sesshomaru's little voice in the back of his head.

"Accept you? Please. She's loved you since the day she met you and that's a fact. We've all been watching, Akago; ask anyone within a ten mile radius of your life and they'll tell you the God's honest truth: she actually like your first," Sesshomaru replied smugly. It was his smugness which really got Akago angry...

Akago attempted to loosen his grip on the steering wheel, which had become positively vice-like. "I know nothing of the kind. Gan is enigmatic at best and I have no idea what she wants, if she wants anything at all from me besides a roof to sleep under. Why would she accept advances from that pierced, tattooed Reikon fellow? She obviously sees something in him that she isn't getting elsewhere, so don't talk to me about what she likes. I've seen it first hand."

"When she was looking deeply into your eyes?"

"Shut your mouth, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru obediently quieted and seemed to drift into a sort of restless sleep; Akago was well aware that the Fang leader wasn't much for oblivious sleeping anyway, so anything was a bonus. The road was silent as the sun rose, yet Akago was jerked from his thoughts as Gan practically flew awake in the passenger's seat. She jolted rather violently and banged her head on the window, wherein she was left cursing silently as her heavy breathing became more audible. Akago nearly drove off the road with surprise but righted himself quickly. Gan stared wide-eyed at the highway, placing a pale hand over her heart as her breathing began to quite.

After a suitable amount of time had passed, Akago asked carefully, "Are you alright, Gan?"

"Just a dream," Gan said weakly, swallowing rather hard and leaning back against her chair. "I've been having quite a few of them."

"They're obviously not of the pleasant sort," Akago began conversationally.

"No, they most certainly aren't," Gan mumbled in reply, rubbing her eyes like a small child recently awakened from a deep sleep. "Where are we?"

"Halfway to Kyoto, abouts," Akago replied, still watching Gan carefully. "You look rather ill, Gan, perhaps you should eat something. I think Rin packed some of those repugnant diet bars she's been raving about," he said, jerking his head in the direction of the back seat.

Gan laughed slightly, face lighting up with the smile Akago would never tire of. "Thanks but no thanks. I don't think I can manage another one of those; they taste sort of like grass."

Akago chuckled and pushed up his spectacles for the umpteenth time. There was a brief silence between he pair before Akago mentioned softly, "They look peaceful, don't they?"

Gan looked confused for a moment but ultimately realized that he was talking about the passengers in the backseat. She turned to find everyone laid out across the mattress, somehow all three of them having ended up in Sesshomaru's lap. One way or another, Kouga and Ayame had joined Rin and their heads were laid quietly on Sesshomaru's lower thigh, all three parties sleeping quietly. Sesshomaru, even in sleep, had laid a protective hand on Rin's head and would brush his thumb across her cheek every once in a while. His other hand was on Kouga's back and, almost unusually, the Fang leader looked quite content.

"They do," Gan murmured, looking fondly back at her friends before resettling her eyes on the road. "It's kind of the way our life is, isn't it? Ayame holds on to Kouga, who offers a reassuring hand to Sesshomaru, who holds onto him back, and all the while, Sesshomaru and Rin depend heavily on one another. Funny how that works out."

"Astute observation," Akago agreed. "I think we all need Sesshomaru more than we like to think, really. When he was in the hospital, nothing seemed quite right."

Gan was about to reply when a slight whimper was heard from the backseat, as though a puppy had hurt himself. Gan turned curiously back to look as Akago half observed the scene in his rearview mirror; both were surprised to find Kouga's eyes shut rather tightly as he cradled and bothered with his right wrist. Gan furrowed her brow and leaned farther over her chair, trying to get a better look at whatever it was Kouga was fretting over; the wrist was enflamed and bruised, swollen to nearly twice its size.

"Good Lord, what's he done to himself?" Akago wondered aloud, looking bothered.

"Football no doubt, nasty sport," came Gan's reply as she squinted at the injury. "I can't quite see." She reached up to pull down her spectacles but found only slightly ruffled hair. "My glasses-"

"Are here," Akago explained as he began to remove them. "I borrowed them earlier."

"No, keep them," Gan protested, sighing as she retook her seat. "I can ask him about it later. Kouga's not the type that would tell, you know. It's only lucky we saw it now; he couldn't play on it much longer without lasting damage, I should imagine. The bruising is a sure sign of that."

"He must feel pressure, what with Ranbou being the Messiah of the entire sport," Akago muttered, looking slightly bemused. "He's won so many titles and trophies it's almost like background noise now. Perhaps Kouga's been working himself too hard because he's trying to catch up."

Gan snorted as she leaned back against the aging fabric seat. "Or perhaps he's simply programmed to give 100 no matter what that might do to his body. That seems to be a common disease around here. What with the bloody Taishos and the bloody Ookamis competing for everything, it's a wonder they're not all dead." Gan looked incredibly embittered by the subject and Akago realized it might be a good idea to let it drop.

"Do you reckon we should call the other cars to check up on everyone? We're coming to the one important turn off and I don't want anyone to miss it," Akago intervened smoothly, smiling at Gan as he tucked a stray piece of white hair behind his ear.

Gan felt her anger melt slowly away and she sighed, sounding not the least bit irritable. "Sure. I'll call up Sango."

Meanwhile, in the Celica, Sango was just taking another sip of coffee when her phone began to vibrate in the cup holder. Before she could get to it, however, Miroku swept it up and answered roguishly, "Sango's sexy secretary speaking, how can I direct your call?"

Gan smiled slightly. "That depends, mister sexy secretary, are you getting ready to take the next turn off?"

Miroku blushed slightly. "Oh...hey Gan."

In the backseat, Inuyasha cracked one eye open and continued to stroke Kagome's hair as she slept. "Good call, Roku."

Sango laughed silently, drinking still more coffee, while Miroku composed himself and said in a more business-like fashion. "Turn off, right. Where are we turning?"

"Two miles up," said Gan officiously as Sango echoed her reply.

"We got it, thanks Gan," Miroku said hurriedly, quick to end the call after he'd embarrassed himself. Out of all the people in the world, why did Gan the Gun have to answer?

"That's what you get for being a smartass," Sango laughed to herself, shaking her head. Miroku soon began to laugh to himself as well and the two dissolved into quite conversation, careful not to wake Kagome.

The truth stood, however, that waking Kagome would be a very difficult task. Inuyasha glanced down at his girlfriend, swaying with the ebb and flow of the highway; she'd fallen asleep, laid out across the seat with her head in his lap, and had slept on ceaselessly for the past two hours. Inuyasha was initially worried until he remembered the strain this entire family affair had been taking on her; Kagome was a strong woman, but somehow family was the one thing that could really wear a person down. The dark bags beneath her eyes were indeed an indication of this and, as he absent mindedly ran his fingers through her silken raven locks, marveling at the softness there, Inuyasha began to think back. A few months ago, he would've laughed at the notion of himself in a black polo shirt and sneakers, travelling four hours to help some preppy Kyoto girl. Now...it all seemed so plausible to him, like it had always been this way. Like she had always been with him.

"She looks a little sick, doesn't she?" Miroku said finally, glancing back at Kagome's sleeping face.

Inuyasha shrugged. "I guess anybody would be sick after the shit she's put up with lately. Sometimes...I think she doesn't tell me when stuff bothers her."

Sango and Miroku were quiet for a moment after this admission, which was entirely un-Inuyasha in every possible way; not only was this a very private fact, it was also one of his potential weak spots. It was rare that the hanyou ever expressed anything so emotional, but Miroku had already decided to pick up the conversation quickly; that was what friends were for.

"Kagome's a private person, Inuyasha," the boy explained. "She probably doesn't want to bother you when you're obviously having a hard year."

"Hard year?" Inuyasha snorted. "It's been harder than this before."

"Yeah? When?" Sango replied almost disdainfully.

"The year my mom died, Sango," Inuyasha said with a certain level of acidity. The girl could see his contemptuous amber eyes in the mirror, though she felt little sympathy; he was only trying to guilt her into silence.

"But this year was different and you know it," Sango replied crisply. "Talk about not telling us when something bothers you, you're the king of secrecy, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha just snuffled slightly and leaned back in his seat, realizing that his volume might've increased a little too much during the brief argument; Kagome shifted in her sleep.

In the front seat, Miroku noticed how tight Sango's hands were becoming on the wheel. With a small smile, Miroku leaned over and placed his hand over her right one, loosening to fingers one by one as they attempted to resume their death grip. When Sango realized how violent she must look, she colored slightly and softened her hands; Miroku smiled kindly at her and Sango could just see the love there on his face. It made her feel warm, protected, and her small disagreement with Inuyasha faded into the far distance. Somehow Miroku always had that effect on her.

Picking up the tail end of the three car caravan was Ranbou's King Ranch F-350, the car he still didn't know quite what to do with. It ran alright, really, no engine trouble, but it just wasn't a functional car in a town like Tokyo; the roads were far too small and it just added unnecessary stress to Ranbou's morning commute. He was much happier with his bike, which took up the smallest amount of space possible. As had become his habit in the past few hours, Ranbou glanced back at Hiten and Bankotsu in the back seat. Bankotsu had been reading a book for the past hour, crimson eyes carefully trained on the words before him; Hiten had fallen asleep nearly when the ride started and his head was resting softly on Bankotsu's shoulder. Ranbou had dared one gay joke and Bankotsu had fixed him with a returning stare hot enough to burn the leather off the steering wheel. The wolf's mouth had been shut for the rest of the trip.

Shitora, as well, had chosen on sleep nearly when the journey began. She was curled up in a little snow white ball in the passenger's seat, wrapped up in her seatbelt and sweatpants with a peaceful child's expression on her normally harsh face. Ranbou smiled slightly as he watched her, though his smile seemed to fade as the girl gave a whimper and clutched tightly at her arms, as though she was cold.

Ranbou frowned and leaned a hand over as her whining increased, smoothing her hair as he murmured deeply, "Shh, Sukini, don't freak out on me now."

Bankotsu allowed his eyes to stray from his book (Pride and Prejudice, on Mizumi's recommendation a few days ago,) and observed Ranbou as he calmed Shitora's unrestful sleep. Bankotsu had known both Ranbou and Shitora nearly his entire life and never before had he seen them look so tender towards another person. After Kina and Koto left those three or four years ago, Ranbou and Kouga had clung to one another for a few months, but this was different. It seemed that Ranbou and Shitora were so entirely incapable of helping themselves that they needed an alternate source of comfort. That was what they were to each other. And for some reason, even after she'd beaten the crap out of the girl he was beginning to like in _that way, _Bankotsu couldn't feel any really deep hatred towards Shitora. She wasn't _always _a bitch. She had her days.

In the front seat, Shitora stirred slightly and her amber eyes crept open. "Ugh, it's cold," she moaned, reaching blindly forward to angle the vents away from her.

"Here, take my jack-" Ranbou began to say before he realized that his arms were bare of the one thing he had to offer. "Aw, shit. I was gonna give you my jacket, but I'm wearin' fag clothes today, I forgot."

Shitora took in the sight of her boyfriend's black polo and jeans and smiled slightly. "You look fine. That shirt's a little tight, though. How old is it?"

"I dunno, ask Kouga. I took it from his closet because you and I both know that I don't own nothin' 'respectable' or however the hell Akago put it," the wolf snorted, reaching forward to light a cigarette in the cigarette lighter. The small device gave a spark, but produced no flame. "Aw, sonofabitch."

Shitora stayed his hand with her own, reaching into her purse and lighting a cigarette between her lips before handing it to him. Ranbou grinned and took a deep drag on the now lipstick stained cigarette, which tasted vaguely of cherries. "Thanks, Sukini. What kind is this? Is this...flavored?"

"It's a Marlboro red, I think. You probably just taste my lip gloss," Shitora replied, wrapping her arms tighter around her shoulders as she settled back against the seat.

Ranbou muttered, "I can't tell if that's a little gay or a little hot."

"Go with hot, good sir," Shitora joked in reply. "It's your secret desire for drag. It must feel so right." She found herself laughing for the first time in a while and it caused not only Ranbou, but Bankotsu to smile as well. Taishos and their infectious laughter...

"You know," Shitora mentioned, glancing at her boyfriend, "Your tattoos are still pretty much in plain view." And it was true. Ranbou's forearms were bare and several tattoos were still visible, including a large inked version of Ranbou's motorcycle.

Ranbou shrugged and took a long drag on his cigarette. "You know how many I got, there's no way I can cover up all of 'em. I'll burn up doin' yard work and shit like that. Just pretend like I'm the group's ex-convict or somethin'."

"Not difficult to do," Bankotsu entered in, grinning as Shitora laughed and Ranbou flipped him off. Who could ask for more with friends like these?

!!

The city was in absolute ruins. When the three car caravan pulled into Kyoto at around 10 o'clock, the teenagers found themselves very much awake; it was the silence which startled them so. The sky overhead was pale and wan, shedding little light on the streets of Kagome's district, which were littered with Trash and debris. After a mile of difficult driving, Ranbou pulled ahead of the van and Celica to beat down some of the obstacles with his much stiffer tires and the going became slightly easier. Now, everyone could only watch; there were no pedestrians, only marching battalions of soldiers. Even when they passed suburban areas, the houses were boarded shut and there was barely any sign of recent inhabitance. Kagome began to realize that everyone had fled.

In the backseat of the Celica, Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand and held it tightly, staring white-lipped out the window at the passing wreckage. Sango kept her eyes dutifully trained on the road, still perked even as Ranbou knocked down the larger pieces of trash. When they finally reached the turn off to her house, Kagome alerted Sango quietly and the girl whipped ahead, honking to let the others know to follow. The cars arrived at a curb littered with broken glass and empty bottles, not to mention a flattened cat at the roadside. When they stepped out, the gangs were astounded; not even in their 18 years of carnage had they seen such destruction.

"Oh, shit," Miroku murmured softly as he nearly tripped over the dead cat.

Kagome stared at the thing, which was a practically indeterminable ball of stabbed and bloody white. The others noticed her attentions and followed her eyes to the dead animal; there was silence.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha finally asked, taking a tentative step towards her.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet my cat Buyo," Kagome said in a lifeless whisper, narrowing her eyes as tears began to fill them. Without another word, Kagome wiped her face with the back of her hand and turned on her heels, marching up the stone staircase nearest her right hand.

It took the others a moment to comprehend the moment as they traded aghast looks; finally, Sesshomaru waved them all towards the staircase, urging them to follow their hostess. They did, being sure to step over the mangled carcass of Kagome's pet.

The staircase was endless and, somehow, got no cleaner as they progressed upward. Gan mentioned quietly to Akago, "I can't believe the rioters came all the way up here; so much effort for what they were really after, just to fight one another."

"These riots were obviously not of the normal sort," Akago replied almost angrily, though his voice never left a whisper.

When they reached the top of the staircase, many of the girls gasped and the boys grew red in the face with unbridled anger; Kagome's land was nothing compared to the streets.

It was much worse.

The courtyard, once stone floored, had been seemingly torn apart by desperate claws and many of the stones were flipped over and broken in half. The trees, of which there were many, were either snapped in twain or completely upended, laying like pick up sticks across the destroyed grass. The divots and debris littering the lawn were numerous and almost patterned; from where he stood, Inuyasha could make out several demon claws which had been ultimately snapped off during the fights. He winced at the thought and turned his attentions to the house.

The shrine house, which must've been glorious at one time, was covered in violent spray-painted messages. The windows were completely shattered, leaving only sharp edges in their frames, and the plant bed had been literally turned upside down; roots were plainly visible, stretching up towards the sky. The door was off it's hinges and the only visible rice doors torn and ripped to shreds. The entire scene was ghostly, quiet, like something from a horror movie.

It was for this reason that, when a voice sounded from the group's right, every demon present released their claws and bared their teeth. The woman who had called out to them gasped and stumbled backwards, clutching a basket of laundry against her front as she stared at these newcomers with terror in her eyes; she knew what to expect from groups of demons now.

"Mama!"

The group relaxed out of sheer surprised as Kagome fought her way through their ranks, flying towards her mother and embracing her as the laundry basket fell, forgotten, to the ground. The demons sheepishly withdrew their weapons and looked rather embarrassed, though they had only wanted to protect their human friends. This entire city made that desire even more potent, somehow.

"Oh, Kagome!"

Kagome's mother was a small, thin woman with short black curls and kind brown eyes. She and Kagome bore a striking resemblance, which made Inuyasha like the old woman right off the bat. When she finally composed herself, teary-eyed from this renitence with her eldest daughter, Ms. Higurashi brushed off her apron and straightened her shoulders, retrieving the basket of laundry from the ground. She moved slowly towards the group of teenagers in her courtyard, looking for all the world like the queen of a palace rather than the matriarch of an unfortunately emaciated shrine.

"You all must be Kagome's friends. I'm Mrs. Higurashi, her mother; words can not express how grateful we are that you set aside your weekend and came so selflessly to help us in our time of need, especially since I'm sure this is a dangerous trip for many of you. To bring so many...Kagome must've made many true friends in Tokyo," the woman said kindly. Her voice was not watery with tears, but filled with such emotion that many of the girls felt tears springing to their own eyes; it was remarkable that she was so friendly after going through so much.

"Aunt Mitsuko," Rin said hesitantly, stepping forward as Kagome's mother let out another happy sound.

Mrs. Higurashi managed to pass the laundry basket off to Kagome as she embraced her niece, laughing with joy. "Oh Rin, you've grown since I saw you last! You've gotten...taller?" The woman looked confused as she eyed Rin, who blushed slightly beneath the scrutiny.

"Um, I grew..._out, _not up," Rin mumbled.

Many of the teenagers snickered as Mrs. Higurashi's eyes strayed downwards and she made a small "oh" with her mouth, obviously understanding the reference. "You get those from your mother," she said quietly, nevertheless overheard by the many demons present.

"Mom, these are my friends," Kagome interrupted, winking at Rin and saving her further embarrassment.

Mrs. Higurashi turned to face the group, smiling graciously. "Alright, let's have some introductions then."

"This is Sango, Miroku, Ayame, Kouga, Sesshomaru, Akago, Gan, Bankotsu, Hiten, Inuyasha, Shitora and Ranbou. They're all in my year at school," Kagome introduced proudly.

"Ahh, Sesshomaru, the straight-a student that my brother loves to talk about," Mrs. Higurashi mentioned with a smile, which Sesshomaru politely returned. "Little Rin's boyfriend?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sesshomaru replied, nodding his head. Kagome realized it was almost humbling to watch the great Sesshomaru Taisho call anyone "ma'am."

"And Inuyasha is his brother and, actually, my boyfriend," Kagome explained, blushing slightly as she gestured to Inuyasha, who looked a little red himself.

Mrs. Higurashi walked right up to the boy and stared him unabashedly up and down, ignoring the giggles on either side of him. She stared right into his eyes, her own narrowed slightly. "Are you a convicted felon, young man?"

Inuyasha almost leaped at the insinuation. "What?! No, ma'am!"

"Ah, wonderful! You've already surpassed the rest of Kagome's boyfriends," Mrs. Higurashi said cheerfully, smiling as Inuyasha rubbed the back of his neck nervously, laughing a little at his own scare.

Kagome interrupted stiffly, "Mother..."

"Sorry, Kagome, I just had to make sure," Mrs. Higurashi replied with a slight mischief in her eye. Turning slightly to her left, Mrs. Higurashi smiled at the others until she came to Ranbou, who was trying to look as inconspicuous as possible but failing miserably. Kagome's mother walked slowly towards him, looking him up and down from his tattooed forearms to the one piercing he'd left in his right ear lobe. Ranbou's ice blue eyes were, for the first time Kagome could remember seeing, slightly afraid.

Finally, Kagome's mother murmured softly, "You look just like my late husband, young man. Right down to the last tattoo. It's incredible."

Ranbou looked lost for words for a moment, stuttering slightly as he tried to think of a response. Shitora discreetly took his hand, squeezing it gently and waiting until he relaxed slightly. Finally, Ranbou replied, "Thank you, ma'am."

Kagome's mother smiled and mentioned to Kagome, "Don't tell me you didn't notice, Kagome?"

Kagome brushed the toe of her sneakers along the stone below her, muttering, "I noticed," rather quietly. Truthfully, it had been the first thing she noticed about Ranbou and, frankly, the rest of his family.

Ranbou shot a glance at Kagome once her mother had moved on, but Kagome averted her eyes quickly. Ranbou sighed and rubbed the back of his neck; he hadn't meant to cause a disturbance, that is beyond his tattoos and piercings and terrible addictive habits (i.e. smoking, drinking.) But Kagome's mother didn't seem the least bit disturbed; it was Kagome who looked more the worse for wear.

"Why don't you kids come inside and get something to drink," Mrs. Higurashi suggested.

The teenagers nodded politely, waiting for the lady of the house to show them the way. Inuyasha was about to follow when his acute senses noticed the absence of Kagome amongst the others; he lingered behind and found her staring almost longingly at the yard. The hanyou placed his hands in his pockets and walked slowly up to stand beside her, feet nearly losing their way on the broken stone.

"My dad proposed to my mom under that tree," Kagome finally said, gesturing to the thickest tree in the yard, one which stood taller than anything for miles and shadowed nearly the entire yard. Inuyasha observed it with an eyes of mild amazement; it was an incredible thing, thick roots, green branches even in the ebb of summertime. Inuyasha could tell that his girlfriend had more to say and he allowed her to continue without interruption.

"To think that someone could just come in here and desecrate my house...it makes me angry," Kagome said calmly, brown eyes burning with an intensity that scared even her boyfriend. He'd known intense eyes in his time, mostly belonging to demons or killers, but Kagome's were frightening in another way. Maybe it was that intense desire, the desire to kill anyone who dared upset her beautiful home. Even after leaving Kyoto, she obviously held strong ties there. Inuyasha could feel Kagome permeating the very air he breathed at the shrine.

"We'll fix it, baby," he said finally, not knowing what else to say. How could he reassure her? How could he promise that everything would return to the way it had once been? He couldn't swear a single thing except that he would try to right her upset life. It was a weakness he couldn't bear.

Kagome smiled slightly and turned to face Inuyasha, who looked a little scared and helpless as he stood there in the shadow of the great oak. She placed a chaste kiss on his lips and murmured, "I know we will, Inuyasha."

The two linked hands and, with one last shared smile, followed the others into the house. Inuyasha noticed that Kagome's grip tightened as they stepped into the entrance-way, finding it littered with glass and the broken remains of many pieces of furniture. Many of the missing plants from the flowerbed outside had, somehow, ended up inside. Kagome frowned momentarily, but Inuyasha returned her tight grip with a reassuring squeeze.

"Just remember, we'll clean all this crap up. Bank and Hiten are handy with furniture, they'll put it all back together. Ayame and Rin are both handy with designing, it's like a free makeover. And hell, tattoos or not, Ranbou's strong as an ox, this'll all be cleaned up by the time we leave. Just look at it and think that," Inuyasha murmured strongly in Kagome's ear. Kagome's smile returned.

In the kitchen, which Mrs. Higurashi had already swept free of glass, the other teenagers were talking and laughing amongst themselves as they enjoyed glasses of freshly brewed lemonade. Kagome saddled up beside her mother and asked, "Where are the boys?"

"Tomo is down at headquarters; he hasn't been able to leave, barely, what with the police under such scrutiny and the aftermath of the towers. You can imagine how many people want to talk to the chief," Mrs. Higurashi explained.

Kagome nearly sighed a breath of relief; it would be a much easier weekend if Tomo simply weren't around. Period. "And Souta? Grandpa?"

"Souta is cleaning up the shrine house and Grandpa is putting up more seals."

When the word "seal" was uttered, several demons in the room choked on their lemonade. Kagome hurriedly jumped in, "But not any anti-demon seals, right? Just...protection seals?"

"A little of both I should imagine," Mrs. Higurashi said thoughtfully. "That reminds me, you kids better not go near the back of the property. I think there's some sort of chemical out there, very strange, doesn't smell too good. We should err on the side of caution, don't you think?"

The teenagers nodded with fake smiles on their faces, wondering exactly what they'd gotten themselves into. The front door opened a second time and this time a deep voice called out, "Mom, Buyo's really missing. I don't think she's...who the hell are you?"

Kagome turned and found her brother Souta, very much on the grown up side, standing in the entry-way to the kitchen looking confused. Kagome gasped. "Souta! You hit puberty!"

Though initially excited by the sight of his sister, the boy's face grew quickly sour. "Kagome, come on!" he complained as his cheeks flushed slightly.

Souta was unusually tall for his age, now standing a few inches above Kagome, rather even with Kouga. His black hair had grown and was shaggy, flaring out from beneath his backwards baseball cap. He was wearing a baggy t-shirt and jeans with overlarge sneakers, overall the typical teenage boy. Kagome squealed proudly and wrapped her brother in a hug, which he reluctantly returned.

"You're so tall!" Kagome exclaimed, giving her brother a slight whack to the chest. "Guys, Souta was like five feet tall when I left!"

The boys in the room snickered, knowing precisely what it was like to have women tease about growth spurts. Rin strode up and gave Souta a brash hit to the arm. "My little man is all grown up!"

"Rin," Souta moaned, growing even redder; his garrulous cousin had enjoyed making him blush since he was but seven years old.

"Souta, be nice now," Mrs. Higurashi warned, hiding a smile as she began to clear away a few lemonade glasses.

Kagome introduced her brother around, watching proudly as he shook hands with the other boys and nodded slightly to the girls. When she finally came to Inuyasha, she said brightly, "And this is my boyfriend, Inuyasha."

Souta's eyes immediately darkened and he shared a stiff handshake with the hanyou. "Boyfriend, huh? Do you smoke pot?"

Inuyasha furrowed his brow. "No."

"Pick up hookers?"

"No."

"Steal shit?"

"Uh, no."

"Congratulations, Kagome, he's an improvement," Souta nearly spat at his sister, giving Inuyasha one last warning glance as Mrs. Higurashi scolded Souta for his language in the background.

Kagome drew in a deep breath, trying to remember how excited she'd been to see her brother, before she finished off, "And this is Sesshomaru."

Souta turned to shake Sesshomaru's hand when he suddenly processed the name and his face lost every ounce of color. The others watched the transformation and exchanged glances as Sesshomaru warily shook the boys hand, murmuring, "Nice to meet you."

"Is your last name Taisho by any chance?" Souta nearly squeaked, eyes enormously wide.

"Yes," Sesshomaru drawled carefully.

Souta shut his eyes tightly and mustered a small bow before he murmured, "It's nice to meet you, sir. Um, Sesshomaru-dono. I'm going to keep looking for the cat. Goodbye sir. Um, Sesshomaru-dono."

With this, Souta all but fled the room at a run, slamming the front door shut behind him as he hurried away. Kagome furrowed her brow, turning slightly to Sesshomaru as she cocked an eyebrow, as though to say "do you know him?"

Sesshomaru shrugged slightly. "He apparently knows me."

Mrs. Higurashi seemed not to notice anything amiss and announced that she was going to step out and visit one of their neighbors, who had promised to lend her a few gardening tools for the weekend. "You kids be good while I'm gone. Kagome, help your brother look for the cat, would you?"

Before Kagome could reply, Mrs. Higurashi had left through the kitchen door and was already on her way down the shrine steps to the lane. Kagome sighed slightly and turned to the others muttering, "I guess they haven't seen our flat cat yet. Well, mom is about to."

"Kagome, did you notice how your brother addressed Sesshomaru?" Akago asked thoughtfully, glancing at the girl through his spectacles.

Kagome shrugged. "Weird, right? I don't know what he's been up to."

"I think I do," Kouga entered in, giving the others a knowing glance.

"Me too," Inuyasha agreed. "Joining a gang, sounds like."

Kagome stared aghast at her friends. "Souta?! Are you kidding? He's just a scrawny little-"

"Didn't look so scrawny anymore, cuz," Rin interrupted smartly. Rolling her shadowed eyes, she mumbled wistfully, "In fact, he's kinda cute now. Muscles, shaggy hair, cute hat. He's apparently more than just your scrawny little brother now. Only gang kids say 'dono' after my boo's name."

"Ugh, don't call him boo," Shitora snorted, wrinkling her nose.

"Rin, you and I both know what Souta is like. I used to beat him in wrestling matches; he can't be in a gang," Kagome argued, ignoring Shitora's rather valid point.

"Whatever a person has done in their past life, it in no way dictates their position in the gangs," Gan said strongly, giving Kagome one of her infamous long stares. "I know for a fact that Akago was the nerd in his preschool class. Huge glasses, pocket protectors, the entire schpiel."

Some of those who had been in their Tokyo district long enough to remember began to snort with laughter and Inuyasha laughed, "She's right! He was a total geek!"

"You act as though it's changed," Akago replied good naturedly.

Kagome began to laugh as well while the others chuckled. "Well, all I'm saying is that Souta is just too much of a loser for things to have really changed. This is the kid who got beat up for his lunch money every day."

Miroku snorted. "Thus his reasons for affiliating himself. A lot of people are in the gangs for protection, Kagome."

"I'm aware of that now, but Souta is...just, he's my brother. And what would I say to him if I found out he'd joined the Scorpions or something?" Kagome continued, looking fretful. She clearly remembered the Kyoto gangs she'd met during her two weeks at Race Wars and there were just as many good and bad. Kagome tried to reassure herself by recalling the friendly visages of Skull and Bones, or even the garrulous grin of Razz, leader of the Kyoto Rhythms.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Kagome," Sango interrupted, smiling placatingly. "He didn't have the Scorpion vibe to him."

"Yeah, but four months ago I dressed like this for fun," Kagome reminded her friend, gesturing wryly to her pink polo and white capris. "Apparently, the Higurashis are subject to change."

The others shrugged and decided to hold their tongues; Kagome was apparently not giving this subject up for discussion. Irritated by the silence, Inuyasha changed the subject quickly. "Where do you guys wanna start?"

Kagome interrupted before anyone else could speak up, however. "I don't think we should start until after lunch. That gives us a few hours to eat and rest, sound good to you guys?" The others nodded menially, feeling like disagreeing with Kagome could lead to a whole lot of hurt at this point in time. "Great!" she exclaimed. "Explore the place, do what you will. Oh, and demons shouldn't go in the shrine house I don't think."

The others paused and exchanged uneasy glances, some slightly offended.

"Why?" Ranbou asked rather sharply.

"Because there's seals in there that just...I just don't think demons should go in. Sorry," Kagome stammered out, blushing horridly; she hadn't thought that her friends would be riled by this comment, but that was apparently a generous assumption.

The crowd began to dissipate as couples hurried off to make out in nooks and crannies and others went out for honest exploration; some remained behind in the kitchen to help Kagome make lunch. Gan was just turning to offer Kagome help with the sandwiches when she suddenly remembered her alarming discovery in the van; her blonde hair accidentally brushed Akago's cheek as she turned to hurry after Kouga and, unbeknownst to her, the Shark leader shivered visibly.

Sesshomaru seemed to notice the change which had suddenly taken over his friend's placid face. "Careful there, Akago. Your secrets are showing."

Akago glared vehemently at the Fang leader, eyes acidic as he spat out, "Oh, mind your own business, why don't you?"

"Don't tell me we're fighting already," Kagome said almost dangerously without turning away from spreading mayonnaise on a piece of what bread.

The two boys shared one last glance, Akago's icy cold and Sesshomaru comfortably smug, before the two turned away from one another and addressed their independent jobs. Inuyasha watched the exchange confusedly before shrugging to himself and pulling out the deli meats Kagome's mother had bought that morning from the grocery store; there were very few perishables in the kitchen due to the conspicuous lack of a working refrigerator.

"Kouga!"

Kouga and Ayame had just left the kitchen to venture outside when their journey was interrupted by a commanding feminine voice and running footsteps. The wolves turned to face Gan the Gun, who had seemingly appeared behind them with her usual stern demeanor set firmly in place.

Kouga's eyebrow rose inexplicably. "Yes?"

Gan was about to speak when she comprehended the sight of Ayame's questioning eyes; this was perhaps not a conversation for his girlfriend just yet. Kouga was a secretive sort of man, as all Ookamis tended to be, and Gan felt it was only fair to give him an out.

"We needed one more hand in the kitchen; are you free?"

Kouga looked suspicious and was about to protest when a deep, invasive voice penetrated his thoughts; the voice was certainly not his own.

_You would do well to stop what you're doing and follow Gan back into the kitchen. Somehow, I doubt Ayame would take kindly to you keeping secrets about your health from her. And just imagine what would happen if Ranbou were to find out somehow...The school's star running back with a busted wrist. What a shocker._

Kouga whipped to face the doorway to the kitchen, which was now being occupied by a smug looking Akago. The white haired demon smiled mysteriously and beckoned to the wolf before returning to his cooking duties. Gan had witnessed the silent exchange and could quite fairly fabricate Akago's message in her own mind; the Shark leader was often quite persuasive. Having gleaned by this point that his injury was no longer a secret, Kouga turned to Ayame with a disarming smile on his face.

"Why don't you go look around with Sango for a while? I should really help out."

Ayame looked slightly confused but soon sighed slightly and murmured, "Sure, I guess I'll see you later then." Kouga had a fair amount of skill in the kitchen, this was sure, but for Gan to single him out for such a mundane task as making sandwiches was fairly odd. Figuring that her boyfriend would disclose other details at a later date, Ayame turned on her heels and retreated, red curls blowing slightly in the wind as she left her flowery scent in her wake.

Kouga watched her go with a loving look of longing written clearly on his strong features. Finally, he turned to Gan with an angry looking ridge in his brow. "That wasn't as smooth as it could've been."

"We're only looking out for your safety," Gan replied shortly, motioning for him to go ahead of her into the kitchen. The wolf seemed to have given up protesting and walked inside like a petulant child being scolded for disobeying his mother.

Kagome, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru and Rin hardly glanced up as Kouga entered the kitchen, knowing that when Gan the Gun and Akago had business with someone, it was strictly their own. Gan set Kouga down at the kitchen table, which was a card table recently erected in place of the old shattered one, and began rummaging around in her personal bag of infirmary items. Kouga looked mightily displeased, haughty and aloof.

"No need to pout, it'll only take me a moment," Gan chided gently, giving Kouga one of her softer violet gazes.

The wolf snorted slightly. "It'll take care of itself."

When Akago realized the boy was talking about his wrist, he couldn't help but laugh. "Kouga, you know as well as we do that what you just said is utter hogs wallop."

Inuyasha glanced over from the counter where he was preparing the deli meats to be folded into sandwiches; it appeared as though the wolf were undergoing some kind of treatment from Gan, who was looking particularly matronly as she examined Kouga's wrist. Inuyasha craned his neck to see what she was fussing over, but he couldn't get a clear look; her blonde hair was long, thick and in the way.

Sesshomaru seemed to have noticed his best friend's plight as well and squinted slightly, a gesture that was as close to surprise as the Fang leader ever got. The infamous dog demon was currently chopping tomatoes with a quizzical look on his face and, as Inuyasha could clearly see, his brother had a better view point and was watching Gan's ministrations intensely.

"What's going on? What are they doing?" Inuyasha badgered as he scooted closer to Sesshomaru, moving wildly to sneak a peek.

"Calm down," Sesshomaru said rather disdainfully, moving to the other countertop to grab a head of lettuce from the sink. He began to peel the green leaves off pensively as he murmured, "It looks as though Kouga's hurt his wrist."

Inuyasha became noticeably still, which Sesshomaru hardly raised an eyebrow at; his brother wasn't above feeling even a small amount of guilt for the victims of his stupidity, which were growing even more numerous as the days went by. Inuyasha had an unfortunate tendency to do things without thinking of the consequences. Now, as they all worked busily in the kitchen trying to pretend as though the cooks weren't incredibly interested in what was going at the table some feet away, Inuyasha was beginning to realize that all of those times he'd failed to block for Kouga were finally coming back to bite him. Oh, Inuyasha wasn't naïve. He knew just as well as Sesshomaru did that any injury Kouga had sustained was due to football. Any injury sustained during football was Inuyasha's fault, as the running back's block. The guilt flooded Inuyasha's insides like a thick poison and his ears flattened backwards whilst he peeled meat from the slab of deli strips.

At the table, Gan was examining Kouga's wrist with her experienced medical eye while Akago watched on looking almost bored. In all reality, the Shark's half hooded eyes meant nothing of laziness and were actually indicative of deep thought; with Kouga's wrist damaged, Thursday nights were about to become inexplicably difficult for the Fangs. Any sort of injury to any part of their team was a weakness and a weakness was a downfall in this business; Akago knew that quite well. At this point in time however, it was quite clear that Kouga was completely unconcerned about Thursday nights. His ice blue eyes were focused on the table, seething bitterly in a way that could only mean "football." The way his shoulders slumped, as though defeated, only alluded more to the fact that he knew this was the end of the line. Now that people had noticed his wrist, there was no more covering it up at practice or keeping it out of sight at home; there was only recovery time and that would most assuredly be a long wait. Even a strained wrist would take him a week and a half to heal with his demon healing counted into the equation.

"It's broken," Gan finally pronounced, looking disappointed herself.

Kouga blinked; that couldn't be right. "Wait, broken? How is it broken? I meant, shouldn't it hurt more than that?"

Gan narrowed her eyes and replied acidically, "Good god, how much do you expect it to hurt? Broken bones hurt, but they're not normally of the eye-clawing-pain variety, especially for demons. What you have here is the result of constant pressure on a strained muscle and bone, hence the term 'stress fracture.' If you'd only told someone earlier, this wouldn't be happening to you know."

Though Gan held her normal air of superiority, Akago could hear the softness creeping into her stern tone; she wasn't the impenetrable wall that she liked to advertise. He knew her better than that; Gan really felt for Kouga in that moment.

The wolf had said nothing to Gan's explanation and was staring, eyes unfocused, at the broken tile floor. Gan had begun to dig out a rarely used bag of medical items, ones which Akago knew to be fiberglass cast strips and gauze. "I'll need some help to set the bone and I'm warning you, this is probably going to stretch your comfort level; we don't have much in the way of sedatives."

Kouga shrugged lifelessly and murmured, "I don't care."

Gan studied him for a moment, violet eyes curious, before she returned her gaze to her work, saying lightly, "You know, it will only be about two and half weeks to heal, I think. The team hasn't even managed one game yet, so I don't imagine you'll really be missing much."

And she was right. Due to the danger and suspicion surrounding Madozu, many principals and school boards had forbidden their athletic teams to travel more than five miles from their home school. South Tokyo was beyond such a rule, as they didn't feel their students had much to lose in the "danger" department, but their opponents were a much safer bunch. The first six games of the season had already been pushed back and Bear had told the boys grudgingly that he expected a few more setbacks before things really calmed down. Kouga could only imagine missing the first game of the season, seeing as though there wasn't going to _be _much of a season at this rate. What if he missed the only game he could ever play his senior year? But the damage was done; this he knew.

"Akago, take these strips and place them in a pot of hot water..." Gan trailed off as she realized an obvious dilemma: the Higurashi's still had no working stove or oven.

Kagome blushed as she overheard Gan's faint demand, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry Gan, I didn't know that we had no appliances or anything."

"Not a problem," Gan replied easily, smiling at Kagome while her mind tried to create an alternative.

"Gan," Akago interrupted, voice quiet and strained. "I can...I can heat them if you need."

Gan observed Akago with a level glance, taking in the blush sprinkling his otherwise colorless face and the shame burning in his crimson eyes; Akago never offered to use his demonic powers and kept his mind reading to an absolute minimum. If his appearance weren't so otherworldly, it was difficult to remember that he was a demon; Akago was very private about the ways of his heritage. Gan knew that this offer was a very good alternative, if not something that Akago obviously was reluctant to do. The fact that he was offering made her feel quite honored. She hated to ask it of him, but there was no other choice.

"If you would; I'm sorry Akago-" Gan began, finding herself quickly cut off by Akago's reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Not at all; anything for my friends," Akago answered, placing his other hand on Kouga's shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. Kouga smiled weakly, knowing that Akago was going out on quite the limb for him; the Shark leader would've spat in his face four months ago, but life was so different now.

Gan arranged the strips so that she could hand them to Akago in the proper order and settled her hands in her lap, looking hesitantly up at her leader. "How precisely do you want me to...help?"

Akago shrugged, flexing his fingers as he obviously readied himself. "How hot do you need them?"

"As hot as they would be when boiling," Gan replied, reaching over for the large, cottony gauze pads. "I'll be wrapping them fairly snugly around the gauze to make the cast and this kind of plexiglas needs to be hot for application."

Akago nodded and thanked Kagome briefly as she arrived at the table with a bowl of water in her hands; the hostess seemed embarrassed and almost ashamed that she could offer nothing more for her friends, but their smiles erased at least part of her apprehension.

As Gan secured the beginning layer of gauze around Kouga's wrist, the wolf winced slightly; the merest touch to the area made him want to howl, it was so tender. "I'm sorry, Kouga," Gan mumbled, offering the boy a helpless sort of look; she really wished she could do more.

At that moment, a strange glow began emanating from an unknown source at Gan's right and she turned curiously, finding herself face to face with magic. Akago was holding a damp strip of plexiglas plaster in his hand, crimson eyes completely and totally black, pupils and iris gone from sight. The demon's hands were glowing a strange orange as she strip too joined in the light show. It was then that Akago spoke.

"This one is ready."

The voice did not belong to Akago Tsume, this Gan knew; it was his inner demon's terrible drawl. Though she knew little about Akago's inner demon, she'd gleaned over the years that it was incredibly arrogant and rather like a disgusting British playboy, a sexist sort of fellow who lived indulgently. As Akago handed Gan the burning hot strip, the girl yelped slightly; she hadn't thought about that part of the equation.

"Are you okay?" Kouga asked quickly, looking alarmed; the strip had literally been boiling and Gan had gripped it in her palms.

"Yes, fine," Gan lied baldly, hissing slightly at the pain; it was tremendous.

"Here," Kagome said breathlessly as she arrived with two oven mitts in hand.

Gan thanked her briefly before slipping her hands inside the oven mitts, determined to do some good. She began winding the strip slowly but surely around the gauze on Kouga's wrist; this was the first part of the first layer of four and she knew the process would be grueling. If only she hadn't burned her hand on the first strip, this would only be grueling for Kouga, who was already in a good deal of pain.

Despite himself, the wolf allowed one fell whimper to escape him, a piteous animal sound which caused Kagome's heart to break. "It must hurt a lot...if it was really broken and all that," she mentioned to Rin, who was watching the goings on with mild interest but attempting not to butt in too much.

"Kouga can take it," Rin replied, giving her cousin a half smile before returning to her bread preparations. There were other things on Rin's mind at the moment and, thought she felt slightly guilty, Kouga had nothing to do with them. No, Rin was thinking about her Aunt's comment: Ranbou did indeed look just like Rin's late uncle and, upon hearing this spoken, Rin knew it was true and felt very strange. How had Kagome gone on this whole time without feeling strange around Ranbou? For that matter, Kouga wasn't too far from the Higurashi patriarch either. Mr. Higurashi might very well have been mistaken for an Ookami during his life, now that Rin really thought back. Didn't Kagome feel sad every time she looked at one of the wolves? Rin had once seen a woman who looked like her mother and had vowed to never return to the place she'd seen her; it was too much like looking at death. Rin shuddered slightly as Kouga whined a second time, obviously in a good deal of pain; just like her.

Sesshomaru calmly set down his knife and left his work on the table, crossing the room to take a seat beside Kouga; in an instant, he'd taken Kouga's free hand and given it a quick, reassuring press. Kouga replied by turning to Sesshomaru with grateful, if not lightly embarrassed ice blue eyes; he'd been there through Sesshomaru's sickness in the hospital and now Sesshomaru was here for him. It was just the way they worked.

And so the process continued, Akago dipping the strips in water and heating them with his strange demon magic before Gan handled them carefully in her mitted hands, winding them around Kouga's arm with practiced precision. Kouga found himself cursing the very day he was born as the pain carried on; it was like be stabbed continuously, the stab that never ceased. Gan understood, but knew that forcing herself the hurry would only be detrimental to Kouga's recovery and, ultimately, would increase the amount of time between the bone setting and the next time he was able to catch a football. The wolf seemed to understand that and soldiered on.

When the cast was finally complete, stretching from elbow to hand, looping around the thumb joint, Gan let out a breath of relief. "Done," she said thankfully.

The others let go the breaths they hadn't been aware of holding and returned to their normal activities; the sandwich making had slowed considerably since it began. Sesshomaru clapped his best friend on the back, giving the wolf a rarely offered smile before he returned to cutting the tomatoes; Kouga would want to be alone now, he knew.

Akago carefully let the magic leave him an took a heavy seat in the nearest chair; it was difficult to control the demon inside him for something as mundane as heating wet strips of plaster. His youkai was meant for destroying cities, not household tasks, and it seemed to resent the insinuation that it was useful to anyone other than itself. Akago quieted its grumblings and sighed; at least he'd succeeded in the end.

"Thanks Gan, Akago," Kouga said dully, glancing over his new cast, which was drying rather quickly. "Should I...do stuff to take care of it or anything?"

"For the first hour or so, I would really like it if you laid down with the cast on some pillows; it needs to dry where it won't be otherwise molded," Gan replied, standing from the table and removing the oven mitts from her scalded hands. "After that, no getting it wet; you'll have to bag it in the shower. If you get it wet, the strips become just what they were before."

"Right," Kouga murmured, looking distracted at best.

"Kouga, I'll take you to the place we set up for sleeping," Kagome offered, giving the wolf a smile which he found himself unable to return. The weight of the cast on his arm was already reminding him that this would be the longest two and half weeks of his life.

"Thanks," he replied shortly. Kagome seemed to understand and just guided him from the room with her hand on his back. Inuyasha watched the pair go, feeling slightly jealous as his girlfriend touched another man, but feeling even more consumed by the terrible guilt still beating him to death on the inside.

"Give him about an hour or so," Sesshomaru said to his brother, who had the apologetic look in his eyes already. "You can probably breach the subject after lunch."

Inuyasha blushed a bright red and said hotly, "I never asked your opinion, Sesshomaru!"

"But I'm giving it to you anyway," the leader replied, cocking a slender silver eyebrow in his brother's direction before delivering a bowl of perfectly cut tomato slices to Kagome's work station. With this, the fearless demon placed a chaste kiss on Rin's head as he passed and washed his hands thoughtfully in a basin of water near the unworking sink faucet.

Meanwhile, at the table, Gan had begun gingerly packing up her medical items when Akago reached over and grabbed on of her pale hands in his lily white one; he could see the terrible red streak, the exact shape of the plexiglas strip, running down the middle of her palm. It was already turning a dark, unforgiving red.

"We should get this in cold water," Akago mentioned, brow creased with concern.

Gan, for a moment, didn't even feel the pain of the burns; for a moment, it was all about his touch. The feeling of Akago's hand holding and caressing hers was so beyond anything in the universe that Gan paused for a time, fighting the desire to close her eyes and savor that sweet sensation. At that moment, Akago glanced up and his heated crimson eyes met Gan's trembling violet ones. They didn't quite know what to make of each other as they stared and for once, their relationship was completely unsure; the friendship they'd once known was beginning to shake and tremble like an earthquake had set upon it. What were they?

"There's a creek in the backyard," Kagome offered from the kitchen. "The water is cold enough."

Akago immediately let go of Gan's hand at the precise moment that she took it back towards her, both coloring lightly. "Right," they said in unison, looking startled by this simultaneous talking and looking even more unsettled as they rose from their seats, hurrying out of the kitchen.

As the front door slammed shut behind them, Kagome giggled. "Oh, it's getting worse."

"It's adorable," Rin cooed, assembling a sandwich as she gossiped conspiratorially, "In class the other day, they kept on looking up and watching each other and just when one put their head down, the other looked up; it was agonizing! And the way he watches her when she works! And the way she watches him when he reads! It's like...like..."

"Like they're in love, Koi?" Sesshomaru offered, grinning unabashedly as he leaned against the counter, smiling handsomely at his now grinning girlfriend.

Shaking her head, smiling all the while, Kagome watched her cousin and leader share a loving glance, which was sickening but exciting in some way. The two were so comfortable in their ways it was almost like watching an eighty year old couple with three grown children interact; did they ever have any problems? _Of course they do, stupid; that fight this summer, Sesshomaru's secrecy, Thursday nights, Rin's lies, his eating disorder, you name it, they've had a problem with it. But...somehow I'm still jealous. Why is that? I mean, Inuyasha and I don't have half the trouble they do. So why do I still feel like they have something that we don't?_

Kagome turned to observe Inuyasha, who was cleaning dishes with a distant look on his face. His mind was obviously elsewhere, probably with Kouga; she knew her boyfriend was affected by the wolf's injury, though she wasn't quite clear as to why. She knew it had something to do with football, but that wasn't narrowing down the playing field. She would wait for him to bring it up. _That's your issue, Kagome; you and Inuyasha can't talk about anything. You're like two ships passing in the night...why can't you just open up to him?_

"There we go, sandwiches done!" Rin declared, breaking Kagome from her thoughts.

"Okay, here are the plates mom wanted us to use," Kagome instructed, using tasks to keep her mind off of reality for the moment. She indicated a tower of paper plates and a subsequent pile of plastic silverware.

"Mom isn't back yet, so we should probably wait," Kagome reasoned, wiping her hands on a towel. "Let's just go enjoy the weather, then."

As the couples proceeded outside, Kagome attempted to take Inuyasha's hand but he shied away, trying to make it appear subtle but ending up painfully obvious. Kagome blanched, obviously hurt that he didn't want to hold hands, but instead of whining about it, turned her face to the bright morning sunshine. She found herself depressed by the fact that clouds were approaching from the North, obviously a storm breezing in from the inlet; it looked very dark. Kagome frowned; something like that could limit how much cleaning time they were actually worth. When only limited to the shrine house, which wasn't that big or salvageable in this case, Kagome felt trapped; she had really wanted to help with the yard so that her grandpa could reopen the shrine to worshipers and visitors.

"You see that too, I suspect?" Akago murmured, appearing from around the house with Gan in tow; there were fresh bandages on her hands, already wet with weeping. Gan's delicate skin had taken the burn acutely.

When Kagome realized the Shark leader was referring to the storm, she replied unhappily, "I do. That'll be a big setback."

"And potentially a disaster to get home in," Gan broke in.

Sesshomaru turned slightly at this, pondering; he hadn't taken that into consideration when his dog nose picked up a storm on the horizon. But Gan was right; storms off the inlet could turn violent rather quickly and the one ahead looked promising in that respect. Perhaps they should head back early? Kagome's face was fretful and Sesshomaru, in that moment, steeled himself; if it came to heading back early or staying an extra night into Monday, he would instruct the group to stay. They'd traveled all this way to help and by God, they would offer Kagome's family what relief they could while they were here. An extended visit might be best for everyone, in any case.

Kagome could make out the remainder of their friends lounging on the lawn near the shrine house, though quite a safe distance from it; Kagome knew her warning had not gone unheeded. This part of the lawn appeared to have been cleared of its scraps, obviously by someone with considerable brawn; this particular part of the grass had been littered with the twisted metal pieces of an old playground Tomo had erected for Kagome and Souta when they were about eight years younger. Kagome hadn't registered the loss of the place, but now looked slightly deflated as she stared at the pile of almost unintelligible metal pieces some ten feet away. Fortunately, the lawn, thought cluttered, seemed environmentally safe. The patch the others had cleared was bright and sunny, green grass spread out softly with a tinge of wildflower pink poking up through the brush. Kagome smiled fondly; _remember the good, not the bad. Just keep telling yourself. Good, not bad. Good, not bad. _

"Over here!" called Hiten, waving his arm to his friends, face bright and smiling.

The other six walked to join their friends, who were laying out in the bright sunlight. Bankotsu was showing Hiten how to make grass blades hum, folding them and putting them to his lips as they produced small squeaks. Ayame was watching the exchange curiously, laughing when Hiten would blow himself hoarse but fail to produce any sound from his grass blade. Sango was massaging Miroku's head fondly as he laid back, head in her lap, basking in the fall sun. Ranbou and Shitora were sitting back to back, pushing with all their might to see who could force the other over first; though Shitora was considerably smaller, she was putting up one hell of a fight.

Sesshomaru and Rin settled down, Rin laying across Sesshomaru lap with her head pressed softly against his shoulder. Gan sat cross legged beside Kagome, who laid down on her stomach to watch the wildflower waving in the breeze. Akago seemed to content to lean back on his hands and stare up at the sky, though Inuyasha could only sit and brood.

"It's fall already, isn't it?" Miroku said suddenly, eyes snapping open and fixing his girlfriend with a curious purple gaze.

Sango seemed to ponder this for a moment, fingers moving deftly through her love's hair, before she finally agreed, "Yep, it's October fourth. It's been fall since September twenty first."

"There's a cold front going into Tokyo Sunday night," Ayame supplied. "The paper said it's going to drop to 7 degrees." (45 degrees Fahrenheit)

Shitora hissed slightly as Ranbou gained an edge in their pushing game. "7? Oh no, I don't do snow," she argued, grunting as she attempted to push back against his boyfriend's stronger, broader back.

"It can't snow until zero," Akago pointed out as he twirled a dead wildflower between his thumb and forefinger. "Freezing point."

"Yeah, well seven is too fucking close to zero," Shitora shot back. Ranbou took her irritation as an entrance and gave one last push, sending Shitora forward with a yelp. Fortunately, with her dancer's flexibility at her aid, she just widened her legs and lay, face first, in the grass.

Bankotsu and Hiten both hissed slightly at the sight. "Aw, gross girl," Bankotsu murmured. "Demon bodies shouldn't do that."

As Shitora spat grass and dirt from her mouth, glaring at her triumphantly grinning boyfriend over her shoulder, she replied mischievously, "Oh, you have no idea." The hanyou resettled herself and, to her friends' amazement and horror, sunk down into the center splits. Several of the boys uttered strangled noises, obviously unsettled by the thought of the very action. Many of the girls laughed and shook their heads while Kagome adopted a certain look in her eye; it was time to get off her pitty potty and have some fun.

"Okay, that's it, Shitora. Flexibility contest, you, me, right now," Kagome declared, standing up and brushing grass from her behind.

Shitora looked mildly surprised as she gracefully unfolded herself from the ground. "Are you sure? Don't hurt yourself, Kags. I was just showin' off."

"Yeah, well now we can both show off," Kagome joked in reply, earning a grin from Shitora; her absolute favorite thing was showing off in crowds and this was as good an opportunity as any.

"Alright, but I'm warning you," Shitora said arrogantly, pointing to herself. "Dancer."

"And I'm warning _you,"_ Kagome taunted in return, giving herself a point. "Ex-all-region gymnast."

The others exchanged incredulous looks while some gave small exclamations of surprise; Inuyasha even looked up from his brooding to observe. "You did gymnastics?" Sango asked curiously.

"She used to do it every single weekend," Rin recalled, shaking her head. "They were so intense; you had to practice like every day and go to all these different trainers. They didn't even go to normal school."

"That sounds kind of Olympian," Hiten pointed out.

"It was for a while; I stopped to go to High School because I didn't want to go professional," Kagome said dismissively, stretching a few times to limber up for her competition.

"There's so much we don't know about you, Kagome," Gan said almost wistfully, smiling slightly.

"Oh yes," Kagome agreed with a roguish wink.

"Like that tattoo you mentioned," Sesshomaru pointed out with a small grin.

Though the others began to make raunchy insinuations and cat calls, Kagome silenced them with frantic waving of her hands. "Okay, okay, okay, not now. Tattoo another day. For now, I'm ready to get dirty with my flexible skillz. That's 'skillz' with a 'z.'" She did some sort of comical gangster motion with her shoulders to punctuate this sentence, causing the others to laugh.

"Alright," Shitora said, getting into the spirit of the game. Hands on her hips, she ordered, "Bank, you're a neutral third party; you judge."

"Stare at ladies contorting their beautiful bodies? It would be an honor," Bankotsu replied with a comical flourish of his hand.

"Let's make it like PIG. One of us does a move and the other has to copy it. We have three misses and we lose," Kagome suggested, earning a nod of approval from Shitora.

"I'll start," Shitora declared, unable to decide whether to make it quick so that she looked like the clear victor or draw it out so that she could show off a little more. She decided to first gauge her opponent and tried a simple move. Shitora reached down and grabbed her heel, stretching her leg upwards until it was directly parallel to the line of her body. As a saucy afterthought, she reached out and licked her knee cap.

Whilst the audience gave a low sound of approval, earning a naughty wink from their recent performer, Kagome adopted a guileless smile and copied Shitora's move to the tee, licking her knee cap with the same extra sexuality Shitora had exhibited only moments before. Inuyasha felt his mouth go dry at the sight of Kagome's leg practically parallel to the line of her body; every single curve was of a perfection he could barely bring himself to recognize. He and Kagome had generally been avoiding sex in their relationship up until this point, but this entire contest was reminding Inuyasha's lower regions just how lonely his body was becoming. It was difficult to wait when his girlfriend was such a flat out fox...

Shitora only looked mildly impressed and gestured for Kagome to continue; Ranbou could tell by the quirking of Shitora's mouth that she was becoming worried, though he doubted the others noticed it. Shitora was generally fearless during competition, or at least her demeanor saw to that. It was small things like the quirking of her eyebrows that reminded him just how vulnerable she could be at times.

"Okay, let's see how down and dirty you really want to get," Kagome giggled naughtily, leaning forward slowly so as not to pull a muscle.

It looked for a moment as though Kagome were just going to touch her toes, though she continued to stretch and allowed her arms to venture through her legs; it wasn't long before her hands reached up and grabbed her backside garishly, all of this highlighted by the girl's helpless laughter. Though she knew it was immature, Kagome was tickled pink by the fact that she was grabbing her own butt.

Competition forgotten for a moment, Shitora laughed as well, clapping her hands with mirth. "Oh shit, I have to grab my ass?"

"Somebody's got to, since you won't let me," Ranbou joked, earning himself a hit to the shoulder from both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.

"No share," Inuyasha practically pleaded, wincing slightly at the thought of his little sister engaging in the very sexual activities the sight of a stretching Kagome was provoking in his own mind.

Shitora ignored the barks and protests from the peanut gallery as she leaned easily forward and reached back to clasp her butt cheeks. She promptly began to strut around, still holding onto her posterior, while making obnoxious monster noises. "Rawr, angry ass will conquer!" she growled, practically falling forwards as she laughed helplessly.

Kagome began to laugh with her and Ayame shook her head, unable to prevent a smile from dusting her own lips. Kouga glanced sideways at her, grinning happily at the sight of his light-hearted friends; there had been far too little smiling lately and he was more than happy to witness a breakthrough such as this.

Shitora was just about to run at Kagome, claiming that her "ass would eat everyone in sight," when a strangled sort of voice hailed Kagome from the shrine steps.

"Kagome! What on earth!"

The crowd of teenagers whirled to find a squat old man tottering towards them, eyes enormously wide and posture hunched. He was carrying a number of strange objects in his hands, most of them dangling from his twisted fingers in a colorful array; he had a skin of some sort thrown over his shoulder, but the demons nearby were unable to identify the smell of it. The old man looked fearfully around at the numerous eyes pointed his way and let out a small sound of distress.

"Demons!" he declared, looking terrified by the very thought.

The demons in question suddenly grew hard-eyed and exchanged glances; perhaps just another typical demon-hater. Inuyasha was about to go help the man excuse himself from the shrine when Kagome stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait...that's my grandpa," she explained lamely, rubbing the back of her neck and sighing. "He's the priest here at the shrine. He um...he just...he's not a bigot, I swear. He probably just wants to keep you out of the well house because it's dangerous."

Inuyasha regarded her levelly for a moment before asking quietly, "Do you think I'm naïve?"

The words struck Kagome and she looked immediately downwards, cheeks flushing awfully as she tried to compose an answer; before she could, however, her grandfather had lumbered up to the group, beginning to brandish some of the strange paper slips in his hands.

"Demons be gone!" he declared, taking one of the strips and sticking it boldly to the demon nearest him, which happened to be Akago.

Everyone gasped and waited for a moment, prepared to see Akago burst into flamed or turn to dust; the Shark leader stared down at the paper on his arm, looking as though he smelled something foul, before he finally removed it carefully and stood to face Kagome's grandfather. Silver eyebrows gently raised, he asked, "I'm sorry sir, did you think we meant harm? We're Kagome's friends from Tokyo. We've come to help you repair your home."

There was a silence amongst the group, Kagome and her grandfather included; the old man stared up at this wise looking boy curiously, almost as though he'd never seen anything like him. Gan silently surmised that he probably hadn't, as meeting Akago was like a once in a lifetime experience. Grandpa Higurashi squinted ever so slightly, almost looking for a reason to dislike this young man, though he seemed to find none and relaxed, albeit uncomfortably.

"I see. Kagome, you didn't mention that your friends were...not human," the old man said, finally deciding on the last vernacular after a good deal of deliberating. Judging by the sour look on Sesshomaru's face, it was the incorrect one.

"Yes I did," Kagome replied, looking mildly confused. "I mentioned it to Mom a lot. Like, a lot." From the blank looks on her grandfather's face, the information had never passed hands. Kagome sighed heavily and ran a hand through her hair, sending a sideways glance at Inuyasha; he looked old. Something about the set of his jaw, the way his eyes couldn't shift anywhere but the horizon...he looks positively ancient and bitter.

"Well, I was not aware," her grandfather replied quietly, sounding almost as though he were seething with anger or disappointment. "I'll be in my study. I would advise all of you to stay away from the well house; it would not be kind to you." And with one last sharp glare, the old man turned on his tortured heels and retreated back into the house, leaving a sudden emptiness in the once bright sunlight.

Kagome felt so frustrated, so overcome with irritation, that she wanted to run inside after her insane old relative and beat him to a bloody pulp, screaming all the while. Inuyasha seemed to understand the thoughts she was entertaining for he took her hand quietly in his, muttering, "It's no big deal, Kags. We're used to it."

Kagome couldn't understand how this was the case, coming from a liberal city like Tokyo, but she shut her mouth abruptly and returned to her guilty self-loathing. If none of her friends were impolite enough to berate her about this whole incident, she would just have to do it herself.

Lunch was a solemn affair, tainted by Grandpa Higurashi's distrusting glares, Souta's embarrassed reverence towards Sesshomaru, and Mrs. Higurashi's silent mourning over her recently deceased cat, which she indeed had discovered at the foot of the shrine steps. Kouga had yet to return from the bedroom; Ayame seemed uncomfortable with her boyfriend's prolonged absence, but only ate her lunch wordlessly. Gan was having a good deal of difficulty eating her sandwich, which required her picking the thing up gingerly in her burned, bandaged hands; Akago was watching her like a hawk, waiting for the slightest sign of discomfort. Miroku and Bankotsu, being the bright souls they were, had attempted to pick up the conversation countless times but found themselves unrewarded. There was simply no happiness to be had on a day like this.

"Well, kids, if you're ready, I'd let to get started," Mrs. Higurashi said quietly some twenty minutes later, trying to push the sight of her mangled cat further back in her mind. "Kagome, if you and the girls would like to begin on the inside, I think the boys can get started on the lawn. Dad and I have already set up some trash piles for you to add to and the tools are in the shed around back." Nodding slightly to her work crew and simultaneously offering the smallest of smiles, the woman excused herself, looking weak enough that she might cry. Kagome almost went after her but decided to refrain; her mother obviously wanted to be alone.

After another one of their deafening silences, the teenagers practically stood up in unison and bid farewell to one another, hurrying off to their respective jobs. Kagome motioned the girls towards the living room, where the damage appeared to be the worst, while the boys trooped off to clean up the ferocious looking yard. Inuyasha gave Kagome a scant smile as he left, bringing little warmth to her; she knew he was only smiling for her benefit. He was clearly not happy at the moment.

"Alright girls, let's just get the debris out of here," Kagome said resolutely, gesturing to the broken pieces of what might once have been furniture. Some of the other items weren't quite as discernable, but the other girls just rolled up their sleeves and nodded; this was going to get messy.

9191919

Inuyasha wiped a hand across his brow and let out a labored breath, glancing up at the cloudy skies. With the storm front, a stifling humidity had followed and the boys now worked tirelessly beneath it, hoping soon for relief from the awful weather. Sweat rolled down his back and into the band of his jeans, causing Inuyasha to wince; nothing could ever feel quite as disgusting.

"It's nasty out here, man," Miroku grunted, reading Inuyasha's thoughts and eliciting a growl of sorts from his hanyou friend.

For the past hour, the boys had been moving the enormous pieces of debris littering the Higurashi's lawn towards the pile behind the house, tirelessly repeating the process in relative quiet. The demons were moving their way systematically across the lawn, growing closer to their trash pile by the minute. It was simply the sheer number of pieces they were dealing with that made the whole things so difficult; the only one who's patience seemed unbothered was Sesshomaru.

Even Akago was growing annoyed; he wanted to dart inside and check on Gan, who he knew must be ruing the day she touched boiling strips with her bare hands, but he knew it would only be awkward for both of them. Still, it was distracting him.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Sesshomaru asked slyly, glancing at his white haired friend and obviously prepared to strike up their morning conversation for the second time.

Akago scowled and replied, "No pennies from you, thanks. I won't speak of the matter again."

"What, the matter where you and Gan wanna do it?" Ranbou asked crassly as he passed by with an impossibly large beam slung over his naked shoulder. Since Mrs. Higurashi seemed completely unoffended by tattoos, he'd given up trying to hide and now bore his naked chest proudly, inked as it was.

Akago gritted his teeth and attempted to count to ten. He knew the others would only try to irritate him to the point where stupid outbursts might occur; he wouldn't allow himself to reach that point. Angling his classically handsome face to the side, Akago adopted a wry smirk and replied silkily, "You're hardly one to lecture on unfulfilled sexual desires, are you Ranbou?"

The wolf demon grew so red in the face, Akago swore he might puncture. He eventually turned abruptly and began practically jogging towards the trash pile, eager to be away from the conversation. Sesshomaru looked a little miffed by the subject of his sister's sex life, however indirect, and gave Akago an irritable eye.

"Keep that particular conversation to a minimum, please," he implored quietly, belaying some of his fears on the issue.

Akago decided to take this to his advantage. "You of course know they've come close," he said flatly.

"Of course," Sesshomaru snorted in reply. "They're two of the most fundamentally sexual beings on the planet. But she'll always be my sister and knowing and talking about it is too..." Unable to find the right word, the dog demon trailed off.

Akago grinned. "Intrusive? Inappropriate? Uncomfortable?"

Sesshomaru could already see where this was going and finally conceded, smiling ruefully. "Alright, you trapped me. No more comments from this side, I promise."

Akago was just about to smile with a mixture of triumphance and thankfulness when Hiten strode up to the group, also shirtless at this point. "Oh, are we talking about how Ranbou and Shitora haven't had sex yet?"

"Three months and they still haven't? That's like Bou's personal record," Bankotsu added in lightly, black eyebrows nearly disappearing into his hairline.

Ranbou happened to walk by as the boys discussed his sex life with great enthusiasm; his already face threatened to turn a terrible purple, but he seemed to swallow the urge and turned violently away, fervently wishing that Lysander were with him. Lysander wouldn't pry into his business like those low lives would; he would just smile his blithe surfer's smile and reassure his angry friend with a pat on the back. Ranbou didn't think the other's would ever understand his reasons for not pushing it with Shitora, but he was hardly of a mind to care; he just knew that soon, he would break in half. Maybe if she weren't so damn beautiful, it wouldn't be a problem.

"Like a bunch of chatty girls, huh?"

The oldest Ookami son glanced up at his brother, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air. His scent was different in the slightest of ways and it confused Ranbou for a moment; when his eyes finally lighted upon the cast, he knew. Several emotions, confusion and hurt being the most prominent, wove their way through Ranbou's tendons and down through his muscles, into his veins, straight to his heart; a member of his pack was hurt and it practically burned him.

"What is that, Kouga?" Ranbou asked quietly, aghast as he pointed to the lily white cast on his brother's arm.

"Oh what, this?" Kouga joked, lifting his cast to inspect it against the sunlight, which peeked eerily through the grey clouds in small slivers. "Yeah, it sorta sucks. Broke my wrist."

Ranbou stared down at the cast, which seemed downright offensive to his eyes; never before had he or his brother been hurt in such a way. They'd broken bones, sure, but a cast had never been required; they'd normally just gritted their teeth and waited a few days for the pain to subside. If even his seemingly impenetrable brother required this sort of treatment, the break was worse than even Ranbou could imagine.

"When?" the older wolf asked blankly.

Kouga shrugged, taking a seat on a nearby stump. "Complicated question. Gan says its stress fracture, so I played on a messed up wrist and it turned out like this. I cared a whole lot an hour ago and now I just can't make myself; is that weird? It's like an out."

Ranbou found himself slightly bewildered as he took a seat in front of his brother, stretching out his long arms and legs. "I guess it is. An out, I mean. If you don't wanna play or-"

"That's not what I was getting at," Kouga interrupted quickly, eyes hardening. "I meant...with everything. I can just kinda coast for a week or two, think about things, not worry about whatever the hell is on my to-do list. Cause chances are, I can't do it. Free of obligation; that's what I'm thinkin'."

Ranbou mulled over the idea for a moment, allowing the incoming cold front to cool the sweat rolling down his skin. He hadn't been free of obligation for so many weeks now...maybe even months. He and Sesshomaru were arguably the most important members of the Southern Gangs and neither had been faring well as of late, physically or emotionally. Suddenly, Ranbou felt a pang of envy steal him; he was actually jealous that Kouga had broken his wrist. It was sick.

"Don't worry about it, man," Ranbou said reassuringly, pushing his sick thoughts aside to comfort his brother. "What's two weeks anyway?"

"Nothin," Kouga replied strongly, nodding to himself. His ice blue eyes held a shaky sort of conviction, as though he barely believed himself. "Once I show Aya, it's all downhill from there."

Ranbou nodded gruffly, hefting a shovel from the tool pile and glancing across the lawn at one of the massive shrine trees, which was leaning precariously to the side; obviously, an over zealous riot-goer had practically ripped the thing from the ground. Kouga followed his brother's gaze and murmured, "I'll keep you company."

It was fairly obvious that Kouga would rather help extricate the tree than watch it be done, but Ranbou could only give Kouga what he assumed he needed; as a notorious tough guy, Ranbou was terrible at comforting anyone, let alone his injured brother. With another gruff nod, the two brothers walked stiffly towards the tree, striking up stilted conversation as they tried to support one another.

Sesshomaru, meanwhile, paused in shoveling up the dead remains of a dead possum, obviously caught in the crosshairs of the battle, to observe his friends and family as they worked. Bankotsu and Hiten had extricated themselves from the gossip circle and were now speaking in quiet tones as they cleared dead shrubbery from the undergrowth. Akago, after their brief encounter, had taken to bagging up broken tree limbs and moved gracefully across the lawn, chest the pale and beautiful white of his face. Miroku and Inuyasha were laughing about something or other, happiest in each other's company like always. Kouga and Ranbou had just moved towards the leaning tree and Sesshomaru could see Kouga's cast clearly from where he stood; it made him wince just to look at it.

Despite the occasional laughter and spare smile, the whole group was rather morose. It bothered Sesshomaru to think that his once easy going friends were slipping into the funk of adulthood, and all of them only 17 and 18. Sesshomaru had been forced to grow up due to the extenuating circumstances of his position and his family, but he hardly wanted that fate for his friends. They were all so innocent, it seemed like, no matter how many women they'd slept with or how many cars they'd jacked; they would always be carefree middle schoolers in his mind.

"You look kind of nostalgic."

Sesshomaru turned to find Rin standing to his right, smiling brightly at him from her significantly shorter height. Sesshomaru sighed, knowing that she saw right through him as always. "Perhaps," he allowed, glancing down at the unappetizing possum remains on his shovel head. "I think senior year is making me think these things, with all the leaving and finality."

Rin shrugged, taking a seat on the stump Kouga had occupied only minutes before. She was glad to escape the stuffy indoors, which were now exploding with the tension of several stressed out teenage girls. "Senior year is making me think a lot of things. Future-ific things."

"You mean futuristic?" Sesshomaru prompted with a wide grin; Rin could always make him smile.

She blushed lightly. "Yeah, that. You know how it is...jobs, getting a place, maybe college, maybe...family."

Sesshomaru noticed that as his girlfriend mentioned family, she looked rather specifically down at the ground, as though hoping she could avoid his eyes more easily. He watched her carefully, brushing away a stray silver hair as it obscured his vision; he wanted to look at her clearly. Rin had always been a source of amusement and contentment for him; she was unassuming, caring and generally everything he was not. Her humor abounded, she treated everything with the exact same velvet hand, and her enthusiasm never waned on any subject. She put her heart into everything so freely...he wondered how there was any of her heart left for him.

But as she toed at the loose dirt on the ground, cheeks beginning to grow almost crimson, he remembered for the umpteenth time that even little Rin could be embarrassed and unsure. Apparently, family was a subject about which she wondered; it looked as though her doubt was real and the dog demon immediately felt responsible. Laying his shovel carefully over the dead possums gruesome remains, Sesshomaru approached the stump and nudged Rin to the left, taking a seat beside her. As she turned her head farther away from him, her hair brushed his naked side and the great Southern leader shivered; she was like an unknowing temptress.

"Family?" he echoed, sounding absolutely casual.

She nodded, an action which looked like it took a great amount of effort, and closed her eyes fretfully; she was apparently afraid of his reaction.

Deciding to make this easier for both of them, Sesshomaru replied off-handedly, "Well, I thought it was obvious; I've always intended to marry you, I think, from the first day we met. If that's what you want, of course. I would never force you to-"

"Sesshomaru!"

The dog demon grunted as he was unceremoniously launched off the tree stump, knocked askew by his girlfriend's enthusiastic response. Rin had literally thrown herself at him and the two fell to the hard ground swiftly, not seeming to notice the aghast stares from their friends as they engaged in a happy kiss. Sesshomaru was laughing when they finally broke apart, obviously tickled pink by the idea that his girlfriend was so excited.

"So is that a yes?" he asked almost hopefully.

"I don't know, was that a proposal?" Rin challenged, one eyebrow cocked challengingly.

The two stared at one another for a moment before Sesshomaru finally said, "Consider that a preliminary warning. I'm going to propose to you when you least expect it."

Rin huffed slightly, still straddling the demon's chest like an imperious child. "Seriously? But it doesn't count now because I know that you're going to ask!"

"Of course it counts. I don't have the ring to give to you, first of all, I haven't asked your father's permission secondly, and thirdly, I'm half-naked in a decimated yard shoveling up a dead possum. Do you really want me to make it official _now?" _Sesshomaru asked incredulously, looking quite skeptical.

Rin seemed to deliberate these valid points for a few moments, lips pouted, before she deemed his answer acceptable. "Okay, I see your point." As she clambered off, she informed her boyfriend dangerously, "But if you do it at prom or graduation, I will absolutely and totally kill you. We can do cute, but not cliché. And besides, I won't look cute at graduation. And prom is for sex, not marriage proposals."

Sesshomaru hid a smile at his girlfriend's serious points before he replied elegantly, "Of course, my dearest Madame. Not at prom or graduation; dully noted."

Rin helped pull her boyfriend into a standing position, watching as he unfolded to his superior height and brushed the grass and dirt from his arms. The small girl moved around to clear his back of debris as she muttered almost stiffly, "Don't you Madame me, good sir. I'm expecting a pretty impressive proposal now."

"And you'll get one," Sesshomaru confirmed, leaning down and kissing the tip of Rin's nose affectionately.

He was positively beaming, which prompted her to do the same. The teenagers stood there, glowing at one another for a moment, before Sango's voice hailed Rin from the porch. "C'mon, Rin, that's one helluva a long drink of water!"

Rin sighed and murmured, "Gotta go, but we'll finish this later, okay?"

Sesshomaru could only smile as Rin darted away towards the house, hair flying out behind her as she hurried up the steps and entered the shrine house, arguing with Sango all the way. The dog demon sighed as he watched her go, smiling helplessly, pretending all the while that he hadn't noticed the curious stares coming from the other boys in the yard. With demon hearing at their aid, they'd overheard the entire conversation.

"Dude, seriously?" Inuyasha asked, obviously curious. His brother hadn't mentioned anything about marriage before and this came as a bit of a shock.

Sesshomaru shrugged and looked as though he were seconds away from getting back to his dead possum. "Sure. I didn't think it would surprise you."

Inuyasha mumbled dumbly, "I guess it doesn't, but shit man, that was sudden."

"Yeah," Miroku agreed, eyeing Sesshomaru with a disbelieving violet stare.

Sesshomaru regarded the others mutely for an uncomfortably long period of time before he seemed to decide that no explanation was necessary. With a simple smug grin in his brother's direction, Sesshomaru hefted his shovel and scooped up the dead possum excitedly, tossing it robustly towards the trash pile.

"Today is a good day," he declared proudly, staring defiantly up at the quickly clouding skies.

The others exchanged confused glances before shaking their heads and returning to work; as far as they were concerned, this entire day was fucked.

9191919

That night the storms raged. Enormous cells had blown in from the gulf and the lightning was blinding, the thunder deep and foreboding; the only saving grace for the Higurashi family was that Inuyasha and Miroku had managed to install every new window pane before the rain hit. Water damage would've only intensified the ever-worsening cost of this entire fiasco and Kagome knew the shrine wasn't making enough money to support an entire house renovation.

Especially for the demons, it was difficult to sleep with such noise from the outside. Many of them lay awake in their sleeping bags, anxiously listening for the breathing of their girlfriends and boyfriends across the room. None of them dared to join their significant others for fear that they might offend their hostess; Ms. Higurashi was laid back, but probably not one for teenage coupling in her home. The absence of their loved ones at their sides made the gang members nervous and several of them felt oddly cold without that familiar warmth.

Gan lay awake in her sleeping bag, her burnt hands throbbing slightly. The pain had lessened a good deal from the afternoon and she knew the preliminary burns were already beginning the heal; this didn't, however, make the injury itself any less painful. As another jolt of lightning crashed, Gan felt a shiver makes it way down her cold neck; of course it had to storm _tonight. _A night when she was already weak. A night when she couldn't afford her greatest weakness to make its way through her tough exterior. She couldn't afford this. Not tonight.

As a deafening boom of thunder hit, Gan actually jumped and let out a small gasp, cursing herself silently for being caught so off guard. As she imagined the presence of lightning and thunder, the electricity ravaging every cell in her body, the thunder screaming at her to lay down and take it, she shivered a second time and decided that she must get out of this room. Immediately.

When she stood to her feet, nearly everyone in the room sat up; apparently, even most of the humans were awake.

"Gan, are you okay?" came Kagome's soft voice; it was ridiculous to whisper, she knew, since there was no one sleeping to be disturbed by it, but it just seemed so natural in the dark.

Gan blinked, staring around the dark room at the eerily glowing demon eyes, and murmured, "Um, yeah, bathroom."

"Is that why you gasped?" Sango's skeptical voice rang out.

Gan replied frostily, "It was a very sudden urge. I'll be back in a minute."

She was just heading to the door, careful not to trip over anyone's prone body, when Kagome said apologetically, "Um, Gan? We don't have any plumbing, remember? So...you would have to go outside..."

Gan stopped dead in her tracks, struck momentarily motionless by the thought of actually venturing out in this horrible weather. Finally, she swallowed thickly and made her way back towards her sleeping back, muttering, "I'll hold it. Don't worry about it."

As she crawled back beneath the covers of her sleeping bag, trying to ignore the ominous sounds of the storm, someone was suddenly at her side. This time, Gan let out a small shriek of surprise, whacking her head immediately on the hard floor; the figure beside her jumped slightly as well, holding out a pale white hand to steady her. A bolt of lightning flashed through the room, illuminating the whole scene for a split second; Akago's worried face arrived in her vision for the merest moment.

"Living Christ, Akago!" Gan muttered harshly, rubbing the back of her head. "Can't you be even a little bit loud when you walk? Just a little?"

Several of the others sniggered at the request and Akago muttered sheepishly, "My apologies, Gan, I didn't mean to surprise you. I'm going to go move the van under an overhang; it's not sturdy enough to take this kind of beating. Will you join me, since you're already up?"

Gan felt her mouth go dry; go out in the storm? The terrible, loud, killer storm? She shut her eyes fretfully, trying to delve up some sort of excuse. Akago's kind, handsome face was still looking expectantly down at her, his crimson eyes glowing just above his glass-cutting cheekbones, that perfect mouth of his slightly shadowed by a sliver of brilliant white hair. It was hard to deny anyone when they looked like that, but the storm...Gan was completely torn.

Akago studied his second-in-command for a moment, silently marveling over the beautiful shade of her eyes; they were such an odd violet, especially as wide as they were now. She was looking up at him blankly, as though she didn't know what to say. Akago felt that familiar perplexing feeling invade his normally perfect senses. He never knew quite what to make of Gan and most certainly never knew what she was thinking. It drove him to madness and for the merest moment, he allowed his mind-reading abilities to seep out through his presence; _fear, fear, fear. _

The boy blinked, trying to take in the thought his mind had just perceived in Gan's. He didn't know her to be afraid of much and certainly not one specific thing. He furrowed his brow, trying to discern what was so different about this moment than any others; only when the thunder bellowed and Gan shivered visibly did he finally understand.

"I only need you to help direct me in the rain," Akago explained, trying to hint at his true meaning without embarrassing her. "You don't have to go out in this storm or anything; just motion from the porch."

The two of them met eyes for a single moment and she knew that he knew; her jaw went slightly slack and she felt a blush flame to her cheeks, yet she said nothing and only nodded hitchingly, standing with his assistance and following him out to the hallway. The entire house looked like something out of a horror film, what with its still broken furniture and hideous shadows, worsened only by the fleeting flashes of light from outside. Akago stepped carefully around the less noticeable obstructions in their path, helping Gan around the nails and broken planks her human eyes were unable to see. When they finally arrived at the outside door, Akago bit his lips slightly and looked from Gan to the door and back again.

Before he could make any sort of decision, Gan murmured, "It's alright; I'll go out. The van will be right in front of me, I'm not some witless ninny running around without a head. Don't underestimate me."

"Underestimating you is the last thing I'll ever do," Akago replied quietly, though Gan was still able to hear his answer over the storm. She looked slightly confused for a moment and he suddenly looked embarrassed, as people often do when they've said something profound. Eager to be away from her searching eyes, Akago gave her one last reassuring nod before heading out into the storm, keys in hand.

It took Akago a good three minutes to descend the steps of the shrine in the pouring rain and make his way to the van, which was parked against the now overflowing curb. Gan could see little in the weather and could only wait for the boy to drive around the block and bring the car up the hill passage, which Kagome had described to the others earlier. Gan clutched at her t-shirt hem and shut her eyes tightly as the storm raged just beyond the screen door; there was very little between her and the awful weather now. She sat in the dark hallway, huddled against the wall and hiding behind a curtain of blonde hair, as though it would all protect her from the inevitable fate of electrocution.

When the headlights finally cut through the rain, Gan bit her lip and tried to stifle her shivering, walking a few shaky steps towards the door. With slight hesitation, she threw it open and began making her way carefully across the wooden porch, throwing her arm to the side to bring Akago safely under the sheet metal awning around the house. The Higurashis kept an old Honda van there, but their appeared to be room for Akago to park the bus. Gan squinted against the storm, glad to be focused on a task rather than her imminent death. Akago was apparently able to make out her thin arms through the storm and parked the van safely beneath the overhang; the lights went off like a dying ember.

Akago made it to the porch at a hitching speed, apparently spent from running all the way to the street. Gan nearly gasped as she watched him straggle up onto the porch, literally soaked from head to toe; pieces of white hair stuck to his forehead and his t-shirt stuck to him like a second skin, a dingy gray as opposed to its normal white. Gan quickly took his arm and led him into the house, hurriedly taking him towards the kitchen; their footsteps were slick on the floor. Akago took a seat by the kitchen table as Gan gathered towels from a basket in the laundry room. He smiled faintly as she skittered around in her oversized t-shirt, looking perfectly calm with just an edge of frazzledness. It was so perfectly like her.

Before he could blink she was upon him, rubbing down his head with a towel that smelt faintly of detergent. She was mumbling as she did so, saying things like, "If you were a human, you'd catch a ridiculous cold from this," and "that old van isn't worth your spit, I can't believe you would risk yourself over such a ridiculous thing."

Akago glanced up at Gan as she began wiping off his neck, apparently done with his hair; her violet eyes were concentrated and slightly raw, a sure sign that her defenses were down. Several blonde curls were falling over her thin shoulders, looking like a pale waterfall in the watery moonlight from the kitchen window; in her haste to dry him, Gan had unwittingly moved up against the chair between Akago's widely spread legs. It was a position which proved to be nothing be innocent for the two of them, yet Akago knew it could be perceived as so much more by men twice the world over. He knew better, though; he knew his Gan well.

Gan paused in her drying for a moment when a terrifying blast of lightning and its accompanying thunder rocked the entire city; the glass rattled in its panes and a tree outside gave a frightening creak. Akago could smell her beautiful scent with an edge of fear tingeing its frayed edges; it was in that moment that he followed his instincts to the end of their rope.

Akago reached out his weary arms, drawing Gan to him with the gentle insistence of a wind. Sitting as he was, his head came to rest perfectly against Gan's stomach and he reveled in the feeling of her t-shirt against his bare skin; she intook a sharp breath and seemed to deliberate for a moment.

Gan felt as though she'd been dreaming for several minutes, what with waiting for him in the rain, directing him in such a hazy splendor and finding herself drying him with a towel in the most ambiguously intimate situation she'd ever encountered between them. Now he was holding her against him, protecting her perhaps; Gan was unsure whether or not he intended to protect her, but she suddenly felt very safe all the same. It was a feeling which always accompanied Akago, yet it was intense and living in this particular moment.

Without another thought, Gan allowed the towel to drop to the ground as she reached out and cradled his damp head to her chest, leaning down to shelter what parts of him she could. Even though he was supposedly the comforter in this situation, Gan couldn't help but feel as though she had her duties as well. Their relationship was a strange one of friendship and love...yes, she could say love now. And duty. There was always duty to her, but it didn't taint him. She enjoyed duty. And she enjoyed Akago.

The storm could've beaten down the house and both Gan and Akago would've failed to notice. They were not passionate in the way that lustful lovers usually are; they were calm and collected in a way which could only belong to genius. They were content to simply hold one another for an undetermined length of time, a span of waking life only subject to their delicate fancy. Eyes closed, breathing even, hands wrapped around their most important possessions: each other.

9191919

**Was that a treat? I hope so. I did some fan art for it, though you guys know I'm not an artist like I am a writer; I **_**wish **_**I was a good artist, but doesn't everyone? It's like wanting to be a good dancer and stuff like that. **

**But thanks for waiting and here's Rin's playlist:**

**Rin:**

**1. Love Song- Sara Bareilles**

**2. Poor Little Rich Boy- Regina Spektor**

**3. Side 2- Dressy Bessy**

**4. Ray Ray Rain- Bettie Serveert**

**5. Nasty Naughty Boy- Christina Aguilera**

**6. Across the Universe- Rufus Wainwright**

**7. My Alcoholic Friends- Dresden Dolls**

**8. As The Rush Comes- Motorcycle**

**9. Wine Red- The Hush Sounds**

**10. Here With Me- Dido**

**11. Fuck Them Bitches- Kelis**

**12. Indiana- Meg & Dia**

**13. Corner Of Your Heart- Ingrid Michaelson**

**14. Scratch- Kendall Payne**

**15. Want It All Back- Yoko Kanno**

**16. 24- Jem**

**17. Hide and Seek- Imogen Heap**

**18. Dancing Dirt Into the Snow- Missy Higgins**

**19. How Am I Doing- Anna Waronker**

**20. Cherry Lips- Garbage**

**I'll see you guys next chapter; love always.**

**KOLU**


	12. Kalamatiano

**I still love all of you. Please still love me. My only excuse is college. And heartbreak (boys suck.) So here, after much ado, is the next installment. Things should pick back up now. My bad. Heart.**

**Recap: Everyone goes to Kagome's to help clean up after the raids. Sesshomaru sort of proposes to Rin. Akago and Gan go to move the car and have a moment in the kitchen. **

9191919

_Kalamatiano: A Greek dance in which partners interract through hand motions and hand holding; it symbolizes the physical partnership of family and friends._

9191919

Axle vaguely remembered babysitting his siblings as a young boy; he'd mostly just sat on the couch watching Power Rangers and, more often than not, Max would walk two houses down to keep him company. As he now sat in the Shark's living room, doing homework whilst the other Sharks did the same, he marvelled over the general similarities between these two experiences. The only reason his siblings had once been so quiet, of course, was that he'd locked them in the closet; the Sharks, fortunately, needed no such attention.

It now made sense to Axle why Akago had asked him to keep an eye on the others; it was like fifty Axles sitting in a room doing homework. Never in his life had Axle met so many people like him. It was almost like the twilight zone, or something akin; a bunch of copasetic mechanics with high ideals and little or no money and almost no purpose. How Gan stood the purposelessness of the whole house, Axle would never know; he chuckled as he thought this.

Currently, Halloween was sitting next to his "babysitter" on the couch, reading _Shane _for his Literature class. Normally, Halloween was somewhat good at Literature except for the fact that he tended to overthink things. Between what his professors told him, what Gan and Akago told him, and what his instincts told him, the gangly boy was a mess of confusion on most academic subjects.

"I don't understand," the tall demon wailed piteously, resting his cheek in his palm like a child. "What does the stump symbolize?"

Axle glanced up from his Algebra II homework, eyes curious, and murmured, "The what, now?"

"The stump," Halloween repeated, waving about a symbol worksheet. "Sensei told us to figure out what the stump symbolizes and I don't understand!"

James, the stone-faced third in command, turned his dark eyes to the scene and sighed heavily, muttering, "You don't seem to know what _anything _symbolizes. Can't you just reason it out?"

Halloween's dark hair ruffled lightly as he moaned, "But I don't _know, _James!" From the look in his orange eyes, he might've been about to cry.

"Hold on," one of the other Sharks said urgently, eager to avoid a crying fit. "Maybe it's...the past? Like they're chopping away the past?"

"Wouldn't that just make you want to vomit?" one of the others sniggered, shaking with laughter. "'Oh, I'm a farmer and I'm a mysterious horseman; let's chop away our past together!' Ugh, cliche in the worst way."

"Got to agree, mate, but aren't all of those English books sort of cliche?" Axle chimed in, cocking his head to the side so that his blue dreadlocks spilled slightly onto Halloween's shoulder.

The distraught demon didn't seem to notice, however, and only whined a bit more. "Kijo always explains it to me! I don't understand unless Kijo tells me! I think I'll call her..."

As the boy's long arm began reaching for the house phone on the table, Axle quickly reached over and stayed his hand. "No, mate, why don't you just think it out on your own? Gan has her own things to deal with right now..."

Halloween bit his lip as he seemed to remember something about his leaders going off to Kyoto to help Kagome Higurashi with housework. Though Halloween wasn't quite clear on the circumstances, he recalled now that Akago had mentioned how "taxing" this journey was going to be. Guilt washed over the tall boy and he frowned intensely, eyebrows knitting as he drew away from the phone.

"I wish I was better at English," the orange-eyed demon mused thoughtfully; he wasn't complaining, but simply wishing. Axle had learned in his short time knowing Halloween that negativity was scant when it came to Halloween's frequently channeled emotions; mostly, Halloween was a dreamer. A simple dreamer.

At that moment, the peaceful silence was broken by a knock at the front door; several eyes turned to face the sound, which was slightly foreign to them. On average, the only ones who entered the Shark house were the Sharks themselves; a visitor when their leaders were away might mean trouble. James immediately stood, looking slightly threatened, though Halloween only dropped his book on the table and went bouncing towards the door, humming a tune under his breath. The other Sharks exchanged glances and relaxed immediately; James retook his seat and picked up where he'd left off in his notebook.

Axle observed the exchange curiously, turning to watch as Halloween skipped off looking unworried; the other Sharks seemed to be taking the tall demon's lead.

"No problem?" Axle asked the general room, mostly directing the question at James.

The others didn't bother looking up as James replied, eyes focused on his notebook, "If Halloween doesn't think there's a problem, there's not a problem."

And suddenly Axle suspected there might be more to the easy-going Halloween than first met the eye. Of course, the Jackrabbits had already become aware of many rumors inside the Tokyo sphere, several of them directed at Halloween, though Axle himself had been skeptical to believe them. The loveable Shark just seemed like a cute cook who'd one day stopped by and taken up residence in the bungalow. This whole "killer" persona that the masses had developed for him seemed improbable and ridiculous...though it was the nice ones you needed to be careful of. Axle and most others in the gangs had learned that the hard way.

Lysander Macharyas had only been to the Shark house once in his entire life; he and Ranbou had been 14 and, on a dare from Bankotsu, had infiltrated the beach side house to steal the then leader, Scion's, motorcycle. The whole encounter had ended with a young Akago stepping into the garage and unleashing his very aristocratic wrath upon the two, who had taunted him before finding themselves looking down the barrel of a hunting rifle. This was, needless to say, the only deterrent Lysander really needed when it came to the Shark house.

Now that the Sharks and Fangs were allies, it was, theoretically, very safe for Lysander to deliver the papers Bones had sent with him. Sesshomaru had left only a few instructions in his absence and one of them had to do with delivering several files to James, the Shark's third in command; Lysander supposed this would all be quick and fairly harmless.

How wrong he was.

The door opened to reveal a tall, slender, beautiful-faced boy with eyed the shade of a deep sunset. He was smiling in a way that made his lips curve like the edge of the world; the very set of his nose above his mouth, his eyes above his nose...it was simply beautiful. Lysander had observed all this before because, in his own quiet way, he'd been watching Halloween for several days now. The day Ranbou had told him Halloween's name was a day Lysander would always remember; perhaps it was that demon mechanism deep down in his lion heart, but he knew there was a connection between him and this tall, lanky Shark.

"Hello," Halloween said brightly, greeting the kind looking redheaded boy on the doorstep. Halloween could recall seeing him a few times before and considering him very handsome; redheads always had a nice look about them that made them good looking, he thought. Lysander was currently smiling, though Halloween couldn't remember seeing him do much else; he probably had to make up for Fennella's bitterness by being happy all the time.

"Hi there," Lysander said after a moment, a blush rising to his cheeks as his mouth went dry; when had he last been embarrassed to talk to _anyone? _Lysander was generally so easy-going that embarrassment wasn't even in his vocabulary.

"You're Lysander Macharyas, aren't you?" Halloween continued on, still grinning. "Toumoku said you were quite nice."

Lysander was honestly quite lost on how to reply to this comment; he didn't want to come off conceited or something, which comments like Halloween always provoked, and he also wanted to avoid seeming falsely humble. That was almost worse. So he settled on going, "Really? That's nice of him. Akago's a great guy."

This was apparently the right thing to say because Halloween's face lit up and he agreed wholeheartedly, "Toumoku and Kijo are the best people in the world, I think!" It was then that the tall demon noticed the file in Lysander's hand. "Oh, are you delivering?" When the redhead nodded, Halloween opened the door wide and declared, "Come on inside, then! We're doing studies in the living room."

Lysander nooded to the obliging demon, wondering simultaneously who in the world said "doing studies" anymore. Had anyone _ever _said that? As the door shut behind him, Lysander began to notice how elegant the Shark house was; the furnishings were creme and hardwood, a color scheme which harkened back to the classy shades of the twenties and thirties. The architecture was rather old world and the breeze astounding; there were apparently open windows in the living room, as the lion could smell sea breeze permeating the whole place.

It was then that Lysander felt a sort of smooth, electric shock running up his arm; Halloween had taken his hand. The taller boy's touch was like velvet, so soft, but it burned slightly. It was difficult to explain; the sensation was hardly unpleasant, but it was certainly abnormal; Lysander was unfortunately broken from his happy moment by realistic thoughts like "perhaps he has a fever; can demons even get fevers? I don't think we can. Maybe he's half? He doesn't smell half, but some hanyous don't..."

"Right through here," Halloween said to him, still blithe and smiling. He seemed to think it completely normal for him to lead Lysander by the hand, despite the fact that they were both 18 and male. He gave off the impression of a very touchy-feely sort of person, though Lysander hardly minded. Not when that velvet touch was still soft in his palm.

Axle glanced up at the familiar scent of Lysander Macharyas and hailed the boy with a smile. "Ly, mate, what brings you here?"

Lysander held up the file and explained with a sheepish smile, "Files. Wish I could say I just wanted to see ya, man. What are you up to around here?"

As Axle stood and took the files with a thankful nod, he explained casually, "Oh, studying together, you know, letting these smartasses make me feel like the dumbest boob on the planet."

Several of the Sharks smiled secretively, as though pleased by Axle's backhanded compliment; he'd known they would be. James rose to take the files, which we knew were intended for him, and shot a brief, meaningful look at Halloween; Lysander couldn't help but notice how James's eyes strayed down to their linked hands. Halloween looked blankly at his friend for a moment before he seemed to understand and let go of the redhead's hand. Lysander found himself craving that velvet touch as soon as it left him.

Halloween blushed and mumbled, "Sorry about that, Kijo says I'm too friendly sometimes."

Lysander only laughed his great lion's laugh, which caused warmth to spread through Halloween's entire body. "No worries, man," Lysander assured him. "Nothin' wrong with being friendly."

When Lysander smiled at him, Halloween surprised the entire room by smiling so shyly he nearly disappeared into the wall with embarrassment. The Sharks exchanged glances and James looked almost confused, if this were a possible emotion for him; it was so rare to see Halloween embarrassed, let alone _shy. _What could be running through his head?

Axle watched as Lysander just smiled warmly at Halloween and the tall demon clasped his long hands together like an anxious school girl, smiling right back. Axle had known Lysander only sparingly throughout the years, really only as Ranbou's nice friend who doubled as second-in-command and never stopped smiling. Now, as he watched the redhead in question interracting with Halloween, who Axle had presumed to be of a "particular persuasion" since the first day they'd met, he was having second thoughts about the man he'd pegged Lysander for. It almost seemed as if Lysander were of the same "persuasion." Axle hardly minded, of course, being British, though he was simply surprised.

The blue-haired demon must've had a bemused sort of expression on his face for Lysander said almost loudly, "Ax, buddy, Max asked me to tell you that he'd forgotten his key to Kagome's house so you should probably get him on the way home."

Axle nodded rather abruptly, having just departed from his thoughts. "Can do mate, thanks." A rather cold breeze blew in at that moment and Axle frowned, glancing out at the ocean; it looked slightly turbulent and the skies had begun to cloud. Thoughts of a blossoming romance forgotten, Axle said, "Looks like a storm. What do you lot do about that?"

"Close-up," James called to the other Sharks, who put down their pencils and walked off towards different parts of the house, chatting amiably with one another. The sound of shades being drawn could be heard and James began pulled large wooden boards from a storage closet; Axle could recognize them as the doors which belonged where the patio curtains were currently hanging.

Halloween seemed to remember his own duties with a jolt. "Got to go get the torches from the beach," he declared, looking almost apologetic about the fact.

Lysander couldn't even stop himself as the words left his mouth. "Need some help?"

Axle had to conceal a smile at Halloween's delighted face. He nodded fervently, saying, "Sure; if you have the time, that is."

"All the time in the world," Lysander assured the exciteable boy, still smiling in that way Axle had noticed previously.

As the two exited through the backdoor, descending the wooden steps towards the thrumming beach, James reentered the living room with an officious trip to his gate. He began closing the kitchen windows and locking their hatches, eyes lingering on a particular sight as he gazed distractedly out on the beach. Axle knew without a moment's wait what the other boy was looking at.

"They're awfully fond, aren't they?" he said needlessly, smiling to himself.

The look James directed at him was obviously of the displeased sort. Running a restless hand through his shaggy brown hair, the boy replied in a clipped British tongue, "I don't think it's any reason to celebrate. Halloween is very sensitive."

Axle watched the boy as he began moving things in the kitchen to different countertops, obviously trying to appear busy and occupied as his mind grew confused. Finally, Axle decided to ask the question that had been plaguing him. "James, I don't mean to pry or anything but...are you from Oxford? In England?"

James said nothing for a few moments, continuing to needlessly reorganize the kitchen, before he finally cast an eye in Axle's direction and murmured, "Yes, Oxford. I can only assume that you're from somewhere unsophisticated, like Hackney or Brixton."

The comment caused Axle to positively bristle; he blinked, affronted, wondering what he could've done to upset this boy. He'd only asked about James's upbringing in hopes that he could connect with another Englishman, but apparently this was hoping in vain. "Born in Brixton, yeah. Got a problem with that, I take it?"

James snorted slightly, replying crassly, "I don't care enough to consider it a 'problem.'

Axle found himself, for once, confused in a social situation; he normally regarded himself as a very social creature, able to adapt in any setting. For the first time in a decidedly long time, Axle felt awkward. Perhaps it was the way James so openly disliked him or maybe the fact that James was obviously threatened. Axle wondered what a normal person might do in this situation and finally decided to say his piece and leave.

"I'm proud to have grown up in Brixton, mate, and it just makes me a little disappointed that another Englishman doesn't feel the same. I'll go handle the living room," Axle said flatly in a low tone, turning on his heels and exiting the kitchen.

James watched him go, frowning slightly to himself. The boy sighed heavily, running a hand through his low-hanging brown hair; he didn't mean to sound so off-putting, but some relationships were simply never meant to be forged. He had his own demons growling at him all the way from from England and he didn't need another Englishman tip-toeing around making it difficult for his recovery. At this point, Akago and Gan had learned not to ask about his home situation and that was all James could ask for. As long as he could stave off any more unwanted questions, he would certainly tried.

As James turned, he inadvertently caught his reflection in the window pain; raindrops had begun to fall, splattering his blurry mirror's image, obscuring the deep brown eyes he knew nothing about. His fingertips toyed with the end of his dirt colored curls and he snorted bitterly; brown eyes and hair were hardly his natural shades, yet he knew his true blue and blonde would arouse more suspicion than he was quite ready for. Gan the Gun was hardly the only Shark with reason to hide her identity. James could only hope his guise kept up long enough...

The other Englishmen would never understand should his mask come undone.

9191919

"I don't understand why she still wants him after everything he did."

"Because it's love! Come on, Mizumi, it's beautiful! He gave up popularity for her!"

"Even when she wore that nasty pink dress. That things _ugly._"

"You're the worst movie watching partner ever."

Mizumi just giggled slightly and popped another handful of popcorn in her mouth, watching as Andrew MacCarthy and Molly Ringwald kissed passionately in the parking lot, finally together after trials and tribulations in _Pretty in Pink_. Shale was observing the screen with adoration in her wide blue eyes, taking in every single movement of the characters; she was enamored. Mizumi, however, found the whole thing improbable. Andrew MacCarthy was fickle, she thought, and didn't deserve the attention Molly Ringwald was giving him; he wasn't even that cute _and _he'd ditched her for his popular friends. What did she see in him?

Shale yawned and stretched her arms gracefully to the ceiling, upsetting several strands of white blonde hair; both girls were wearing sweatshirts and sweatpants, bundled up since the first cold front of the season had hit the night before. Afraid of the chill outside, the two had stayed holed up in their somewhat joint apartment all day long, watching eighties movies and gossiping shamelessly. Both of them had forgotten what it was like to have true girl friends.

The front door then opened to reveal Ryuukoytsusei, his arms laden with grocery bags and his green hair curling around his face, fresh from the chilly fall air. He set the bags down on the table and threw his keys dismissively onto the bar, glancing up at the girls as he removed his Dragons jacket.

"You still haven't gotten up?" he complained gruffly, giving the girls a pointed look.

The two exchanged glances and replied in a tentative unison, "Sort of."

The large Dragon snorted and began unpacking things from the paper bags, placing them inside the refrigerator; it was strange to see an intimidating man like Ryuukoytsusei doing something as mundane as putting away groceries, but both Shale and Mizumi were used to sights like this. While the others at South Tokyo High knew Ryuu as the Big Bad, they knew him as big brother. Or in Shale's case, big...mystery. Though she'd practically lived with him for almost two months now, she still didn't know what to make of him. From what she could gather, letting someone infiltrate his home as she had was something he'd rather die than do; so why had she been so different? Was he just biding his time until he could do away with her? Shale didn't think so; he seemed to genuinely not mind her. She wouldn't say _like _her, persay, but he didn't _dislike _her, which was quite an upgrade from nearly everyone else they knew. Ryuu didn't seem to like a lot of people.

Shale then realized that Ryuu was speaking to her.

"I couldn't read your crap handwriting one time, but it looks like it says 'green onions,' so that's what you get," he muttered in his deep gravelly voice, holding up the green onions almost patronizingly. Shale didn't take offense to Ryuu's rudeness because, at this point, she knew not to; he was simply like that.

This didn't mean, however, that the blonde didn't enjoy having a little fun with him. Deciding to give him what he wanted, which was a chance to argue good naturedly, Shale got up from the couch and limped over to the kitchen table, hefting the grocery list for Ryuu's perusal and waving it ostentatiously in front of his face.

"That clearly says 'grape olives,' sir, and my handwriting is not 'crap,'" Shale sniffed huffily, throwing down the list and crossing her arms as she hefted her nose to the sky.

Ryuu stared at the beautiful girl, who was obviously poking fun. In a rare moment of humor, he replied with a snicker, "Grape olive, right. What the fuck's a grape olive?"

"It's like an olive that looks like a grape," Shale replied, losing some of her composure as her mouth began to twist into a small smile. Her blue eyes were sparkling like sapphires by now.

The Dragon snorted again, which was his version of laughter. "Grapes already look like olives."

"They do not!" Shale protested, this time honestly indignant. She threw her slender arms akimbo as she argued, "That's like insinuating that you could accidentally eat a grape when you'd thought it was an olive or something like that and that would never happen."

"Maybe if you're stupid," Ryuu pointed out, shrugging his mountainous shoulders. Judging by the uncharacteristic twinkle in his crimson eyes, he was getting into the joke as well.

Shale began to laugh outright, that great musical sound that rivaled the swelling of a great symphony. Ryuu grinned, not his normal feral one which signaled the soon-to-be-death of an innocent, but a normal one, an almost "kind" one, if the word "kind" could ever be associated with such a cold blooded killer. Mizumi watched her brother and best friend joking in the kitchen, her own crimson eyes beginning to twinkle as well; this twinkle was one of mischief. She'd begun to notice over the past few weeks that her brother was undergoing a definite change. While most would consider it "going soft," she considered it "coming into himself." Real honest people didn't act like Ryuu, didn't cut themselves off from everything and stare at the world through cold glass eyes. Ryuu needed something caring, something beautiful and clean and wholesome in his life; it seemed as though family were that thing. Though Mizumi knew that she was his only _real _family, Shale was as good as. Ryuu did her grocery shopping, for crying out loud; they were practically married...without the kissing or the hugging or the sex or the love. And mostly he did the grocery shopping because he enjoyed Shale's cooking and shopping took her forever because of her limp...but perhaps there was more to it. And Mizumi's romance-starved teenage psyche loved to stew over the endless possibilities.

It was then that Mizumi's cell phone rang and she wrinkled her nose; she hated her cell phone. Ryuu had made her get one and refused to let her keep it locked up in her room, because he wanted to be able to "get ahold of her when he needed to." The only time they were apart was when they had class at school, so it seemed like an unnecessary precaution to the girl.

Trying to ignore her brother's smugness, Mizumi answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Miz, it's me."

"Oh, hey Fenn," the dragon girl replied boredly, leaning back against the couch and staring at the DVD menu which had since reappeared. "What's up?"

"Well, I just got a call from you're favorite hanyou whore-bitch," Fennella informed her friend with a snarl to her tone. "And she said exactly this: 'Hey, Macharyas, I know you've got slutty music laying around from your stripper days, so pick something to put our bonfire dance to. See you tomorrow, laters.' End quote."

Mizumi narrowed her eyes and nearly shook with rage as she spat out, "She called you a stripper?! That girl needs to be kicked in the backside and thrown over the edge of a cliff! God, no one's ever made me as angry as she makes me!" In an uncharacteristic burst of anger, Mizumi cried out, voice colored by grating Dragon call, and took the nearest pillow in her hands, ripping the thing to shreds. It was only when feathers exploded and began dancing around her like a snow storm did Mizumi realize what she'd done. Gasping, the girl murmured faintly, "Oh my god."

"Mizumi? Are you okay? You sound like you just freaked out," Fennella said unsurely on the other end of the line.

Mizumi looked up to find Shale watching her from the kitchen with a horrified expression while Ryuu wore a strange look of...admiration? Was he actually impressed by her sudden fit of rage? Mizumi only stared blankly back at them, mouth slightly agape, before she answered quickly into the phone, "Yeah, I'm fine, just...killed a pillow."

"Oh," Fennella muttered. "As long as you didn't kill your cat or something, I guess we're good. I've killed worse."

Mizumi chuckled nervously. "Yeah...well, any ideas on the music?"

Fennella replied distractedly, "Eh, sort of. I need something with a good hard bass and maybe some vaguely sexual noises in the background. You know anything like that?"

Even at the word "sexual," Mizumi blushed. "Er, not really. I don't listen to stuff like that."

"Oh. Well, I do and none of this is fast enough. The bass is too slow...or something. I don't know. I just wanted to see if you had any ideas."

"No, sorry," Mizumi replied, staring down at the shredded remains of her couch pillow. Maybe Ryuu was rubbing off on her more than she thought.

"Well, I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow," Fenn said with a slight sigh. "Bye dude."

"Bye."

Mizumi hung up the phone and immediately began picking up the feathers from the carpet, muttering apologies to her brother. "Sorry about the pillow, Ryuu, I just got really mad and-"

"Chill out," Ryuu replied in his usual disdainful tone. His eyes shifted towards the hole in the wall as he muttered, "I normally break more expensive stuff."

This only made Shale and Mizumi giggle slightly; they'd become rather fond of the hole in the wall because it was like a doorway between their apartments. The sheet over it hardly provided much privacy, but they needed little; they lived symbiotic lives at this point anyway.

As Mizumui continued collecting feathers, she found her little hands joined by Shale's pale and slender ones. She blonde grinned beautifully at her and said, "Shitora getting on your nerves again?"

Though Ryuu stiffened at the very name, neither of the girls noticed and only continued cleaning. "Yeah, she called Fenn a stripper. I mean, why does she have to be so rude? I don't understand what's so bad about her life."

"Nothing," Ryuu barked from the kitchen, throwing mushrooms angrily down in the ice box. "The Taishos are practically golden, fucking kiss asses."

"Don't let her get to you," Shale cautioned her young friend soothingly, ignoring Ryuu's outbursts, which were old hat around their house. "It doesn't matter what she does as long as you stay respectable. Don't stoop to her level, okay?"

"Okay," Mizumi replied softly, smiling at her friend. Shale doubled as best friend and older sister, two things Mizumi had wanted all her life. Even when doing something as boring as picking up pillow feathers, they could have a good time and she treasured that.

Ryuu watched the exchange from the kitchen, anger fading slightly as his younger sister took in Shale's worthwhile advice. Ryuu allowed his eyes to drift to Shale, who was picking up feathers in her equally light hands. Though the entire male population in the building would probably pay money to watch Shale do anything, let alone unknowingly flaunt her backside by bending down on her knees, Ryuu liked to think himself immune to her inherint sexuality. There was something utterly sensual about Shale, who seemed not to know this about herself; the way she moved was perfect, free, and yet somehow calculated. Despite her limp, it were as though she'd been taught how to walk, how to hold her arms and her head. Every movement she made was sheer poetry and it harkened a likeness to something Ryuu couldn't put his finger on.

He watched her turn her head slightly, blonde hair falling over her thin shoulder like a silk curtain, and his mouth went slightly dry; despite his so called "immunity," he couldn't deny the fact that Shale was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen up close, even discounting all of the beautiful demon mothers in the covens, even discounting his own mother. Shale was so positively perfect, so flawless, that he couldn't put words to her gorgeousness. He liked to think he noticed this objectively, like an art critic observing from a distance, but his instincts knew better. Ryuu knew that there was something different about the way he reacted to this girl, but part of him wondered if it was directly proportional to the way she reacted to him. As though everything he said mattered, as though he weren't a bad person. She had little knowledge of his illegal activities, but she was no idiot; she must have some vague idea. And even stil, even after all of that...she still acted as though he were worth every second of her day. As though he were beautiful too. He didn't understand.

And as Shale smiled and laughed at something Mizumi said, her beautiful face practically glowing, Ryuu realized that it didn't matter what he understood. He was enjoying this time now, no matter what it meant, and he would simply live it for the time being. These questions could wait until later when he wasn't so worried about the Dragons and the Vixens, his sister, school. These questions could wait until he had absolutely nothing else to think about. And that, he realized contently, would be a very long time.

9191919

In Kyoto, the weather was biting and fierce. The storm had left a chilly aftershock in its wake and the morning brought with it a deep, uncomfortable freeze. Shitora burrowed deep within her sleeping bag, awakening to an uncomfortable breeze washing over her pert little nose; she could smell rain, wet leaves and the brisk, cooking scent of fall. She made a small whining sound and glanced around the room, finding that most of her friends were still asleep. There were two empty sleeping bags that she could find: Gan and Akago's.

Her girlish curiosity was halted by a noise, one which, for some reason, struck her right in the heart; it was a low, desperate sounding growl of sorts, almost like the whine she'd emitted mere second ago. Despite the protestation in her cold arms, Shitora pushed herself into an upright position and found her ears swivelling like satellites towards the source of the sound: Ranbou.

The big wolf had settled his sleeping bag in between Kouga and Bankotsu, opting to honor 's request to at least "keep the genders moderately separated." From what Shitora could see, he was twitching slightly, large chest quivering as his fists tightened visibly; he was obviously enduring a nightmare. Shitora bit her lip and glanced around furtively, sliding almost soundlessly out of her sleeping bag and tiptoeing towards her boyfriend. She knelt beside him, trying to decide on a course of action; finally, when his whines were too painful for her sensetive heart, Shitora reached out her hand to cup his face. His eyes were shut tightly and his mouth set in an unhappy frown.

"Ran, wake up; you're dreaming," she whispered, shivering slightly as a chilly breeze blew through the drafty house. The cold front was even more terrible outside of her warm sleeping bag and she grimaced.

Ranbou shifted towards her, his face leaning into her palm, and she smiled slightly at the stubble there; it seemed he was going for the rugged look. He drew in a deep, sleeping breath, obviously becoming aware of her scent, and his eyes fluttered open to reveal irises of the iciest blue. He was groggy and unaware for a moment though he seemed to come into himself when his eyes landed on Shitora's concerned face.

His movement was so swift that Shitora barely had time to breathe; one moment, she was kneeling before his prone form and the next she was clamped tightly in his enormous arms, limbs hanging helplessly like a ragdoll. He was holding her so tightly, as though she were in danger of disappearing; he inhaled shakily, burying his face in her hair. "Shitora," he breathed raggedly, sounding as though he'd just awakened from a ten year coma.

Shitora was confused, slightly afraid of it all, but she only lifted her pale arms to hold him in return. "Ran, what's wrong? Are you...okay?" She couldn't remember the last time he'd called her by her proper name. It normally warmed her, but this morning it was only a bad omen.

Ranbou seemed to stutter over his words, finally deciding on, "Just...needed you is all." It was a slightly more evocative statement than he'd first planned, but he supposed that wasn't all bad in the end. He'd gotten his point across, anyway. The image he'd mentally constructed for the purpose of his recent dream was a gruesome one; being an assassin, Ranbou had seen his fair share of blood and guts, but his mind was more creative than his pitiful reality. Shitora was almost artful looking covered in the blood of her victims, in his blood; the artfulness increased as the shot entered through her back and escaped through her stomach, leaving her gasping and defenseless on the concrete of her killing arena. Ranbou wasn't sure where the images had come from. He was likewise unsure why his mind was so determined to fall in league with his heart, which protested the idea of Shitora joining his core intensely. But whatever the reason, his Ookami instincts didn't like the sound of any of this; they were already trying to tell him 'no.'

Shitora leaned back and observed Ranbou's face thoughtfully, absent-mindedly reaching up her little white hands to cup his stubbled cheeks. "You work too hard, Ran. I don't want you to hurt yourself, okay? I know what you do is important to you, but I think it's kinda coming to a point where you can't be safe and carry out your job at the same time. I'll stand with you whatever you decide, but I think you might need some help. Just think about it, okay?"

Ranbou tried not to think about the obvious irony in Shitora's suggestion; Sesshomaru had obviously failed to present his decision to her as of yet. It was hard to say what Shitora would decide; on one hand, she absolutely loved the thrill of the fight. On the other hand, she would most definitely have qualms about fighting alongside her boyfriend. Both Ranbou and Shitora knew well that their abilities would be severely compromised by each other's presence and, being headstrong and proud on either side, neither of them would enjoy nightly bouts of incompetence. The fact of the matter remained: until they were able to function separately during a battle, Ranbou and Shitora were absolutely unable to fight in the same area.

"I'll think about it," Ranbou murmured, wondering if this would later get him in trouble for lying. He supposed it couldn't really be considered lying when he wasn't allowed to tell her the truth; this itself might be a lie as well. Sesshomaru hadn't placed any specific rules on their verbal engagement, but Ranbou knew it was understood; when Sesshomaru decided to tell Shitora about their agreement, it would be his head on a platter and not Ranbou's...if all went well.

Ranbou and Shitora found their brief conversation interrupted as a heavy sigh broke the air, followed by the rustling of thrown-back covers. Kagome sat up tiredly from her bed mat, looking as though she hadn't slept a wink. Seeming not to notice her friends watching her every move, the girl unfolded from the floor and padded softly into the hallway; her footsteps disappeared down towards the kitchen and onto the porch. Shitora and Ranbou exchanged a concerned glance and made as though to follow her when another heavy sigh sounded out across the room.

"I got it," Inuyasha murmured, running a hand through his rumpled white hair and nodding to his friend and sister. As the hanyou smelt the air, noticing the crisp chill, he grabbed a discarded hoodie from the floor and stumbled after his girlfriend, all under the amused and watchful eyes of Ranbou and Shitora.

Kagome jumped slightly as the door behind her rattled in it's frame; Inuyasha walked quietly up behind her and draped the unzipped hoodie around her shoulders, allowing his hands to linger on her upper arms as she leaned into his touch. They were silent for quite some time, Kagome staring at the muddy lawn as Inuyasha studied the scent of her hair: clean and perfect. Kagome became aware of Inuyasha's chin on her shoulder and a small smile spread its way across her lips. She reached up her hand and ruffled his hair, causing him to snort and wrap his arms around her waist; sometimes, he really felt like a puppy in her hands.

"Rain; that was the last thing we needed," Kagome said finally, sounding utterly tired and worn.

Inuyasha snorted. "No fucking kidding."

The two were silent for several minutes, looking at the cloudy skies billowing in the wake of the storm. Inuyasha sighed heavily and wondered what someone sensetive and caring might say in this situation. Someone like Akago or Miroku. The only words leaping up to his throat were things like "Fuck those rioters" and "It'll all blow over, don't worry." From the look on Kagome's face, she probably wouldn't care about either comment. Sometimes Inuyasha wished he had Sesshomaru's aristocratic tongue, but words just never seemed to fall from his tongue in the same way. Was it so hard just to tell someone what you were thinking? He and Kagome never seemed to.

"You're thinking awfully hard," Kagome mused quietly, glancing sideways at her boyfriend's pensive face. His eyes were far-off, troubled.

Inuyasha blushed slightly at being caught. "Eh, s'hard not too after something like this, you know? I mean...we all had it so easy and we didn't even know it."

Kagome snorted and pressed her cheek to Inuyasha's, murmuring, "I didn't bring you here to start you guilt-tripping, Inuyasha."

"I know," the hanyou mumbled in return; a brisk wind blew past, showering the pair with the scent of wet grass and damp wood.

The silence stretched out between the two, over the yard, into the wet ground and deep towards the roots of the trees, the plants. It wasn't a silence that should sit between lovers, or even friends; it was an uncomfortable silence, heavy with unsaid words and unexpressed feelings. It frustrated them both, right down to their secretive cores.

Inuyasha was about to say something important, something evocative, when a sound caught his sensitive ears. Kagome noticed Inuyasha's dog ears twitching like satellites and she frowned; he'd caught wind of something dangerous. As Inuyasha turned west, Kagome allowed her eyes to follow, tensing as she wondered who might attack her house next; her eyes widened as she realized the sheer irony of her conclusion. It was ironic, actually, since the so-called "intruder" was actually someone escaping _out _of the house. Souta, in fact.

The lanky boy was looking nervously left and right, hurrying across the grass of the front lawn towards the shrine steps. He was fidgety, awkward, and Inuyasha frowned deeply; the boy was sneaking out, but to where? When Kagome caught sight of Souta's jeans, baggy and torn with feathers and beads hanging off the colorful threads, she knew; her brother was no ordinary gang member after all.

"Souta," she called out, sounding unsurprised and neutral.

The boy froze in his tracks, wondering immediately if his mother had caught him after all; she'd always turned a blind eye, but perhaps the time for leniency had ended. When he made out Inuyasha and Kagome's silhouettes on the porch, the boy found himself surprised for the first time in months. The disaster, he'd expected. His family's flight out of Kyoto, even then. The arrival of Sesshomaru Taisho in his house was a small upset, not a surprise; but this? His sister and her boyfriend catching him, the fastest messenger in gang history? Unbelievable.

"Souta, where are you going?" Kagome asked shortly, arms crossed and shoulders stiff. Inuyasha immediately let go and allowed his girlfriend to approach her brother, watching curiously.

The young boy froze in his tracks, staring at his sister, horrified. He seemed to ponder his answer carefully, weighing to pros and cons of every response, before he finally decided on, "Out."

Inuyasha snorted; was that all the kid could think of?

Kagome narrowed her eyes, stopping just short of her brother's impressive height. "Out, huh? Out to meet other rabbits for patrol? Or what? Are you gonna be straight with me? Or do I need to drag it out of you?"

It became quite clear to young Souta, in that moment, that his sister wasn't suggesting something tame or reasonable. She was alluding to violence; it wasn't that Kagome was unviolent, persay, but only that Souta's sister had always been the levelheaded type. Sure, Tomo had taught her how to shoot a gun at a young age, but Souta could only assume this hadn't done permanent psychological damage. He could only assume since Tomo had never done his stepson the same service.

Souta then began to feel connections meeting up in his brain, reacting and electrocuting and buzzing like mad; wait a minute. Sesshomaru Taisho was in his house. Everyone Kagome had brought was built like a wrestler. Every single girl in the house was hot. Souta had caught sight of what he thought was a pistol in Ranbou's back pocket...it was all coming together...

Kagome blinked confusedly as Souta's face grew stricken and white. He raised one shaky, accusatory finger and spluttered, "You! You're...you're in a gang! You are!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, shaking his head pitifully; was the kid only figuring this out now? Please.

Kagome looked mildly surprised; her brother had never been exceptionally bright, a fact which she'd overlooked out of love, but his ability to put this together actually frightened her. If Souta was catching on, what must her mother be thinking? What if Tomo came home for some reason? Apparently, they weren't hiding his as well as they'd thought.

"And if I am?" she answered cooly, keeping her tone under control.

Souta wasn't quite sure how to answer. Again, he took his time, coming out with, "Are you?" after several minutes of deliberation.

"Are you?" Kagome fired back, grabbing one of the longer threads attached to her brother's jeans. "This is Jackrabbit and no mistake."

Souta was caught. There was nothing to say in return. She was right. Souta seemed to look back and forth, as though looking for an escape. When he found none, he turned his emotional brown eyes to meet his sister's. "I'm a runner for the Jackrabbits. A messenger."

Inuyasha shrugged slightly to himself; the kid was slight enough, he figured. He looked pretty fast as humans went and if Skull and Bones found him quick enough, he must really be something. Kagome just continued to look levelly at her brother, gaze stiff and unfeeling; she was in leader mode and Souta was only just beginning to understand. There was only explanation as to why RIn, his very own cousin, was dating the leader of the Fangs. Family really meant something to these people and Sout knew that; could this mean that Kagome, little shy Kagome, was a...leader?

"What are you?" Souta asked confrontationally after a rather long silence. He could tell that Kagome was judging him, trying to figure out where his loyalties lay. "Kagome?" he asked again.

"I'm a core leader," she said finally, not a single hint of pride or happiness escaping her facade. "And I know for a fact that the Jackrabbits disbanded. So where could you possibly be going?"

Souta opened his mouth to speak, closed it again, turned, sighed, shrugged, and rounded once more on his sister. "Trying to fix it, okay? Trying to fix it."

Inuyasha felt a sudden pain in his chest and he winced, looking away from the scene before him; somehow, that kid's words had physically hurt him. It was one thing to hear stories on the news about unfortunate kids in unfortunate neighborhoods, meeting unfortunate ends in some sort of be-all-end-all gang fight. But it was another to see yourself in one of those kids; Inuyasha felt like he was looking at himself standing there in baggy pants with a baseball cap, jaw set and eyes shaking with fear. He'd been there once, trying to "fix" things. He'd fixed it for Sesshomaru once. He'd fixed it all.

"Let him go, Kags," Inuyasha murmured, pulling Kagome back towards him and rubbing her shoulders.

The girl furrowed her brow, glancing haphazardly over her shoulder. "You think I should?

"He's got his duties," Inuyasha explained lamely, nodding once to Souta before continuing to pull her backwards.

Souta, slightly confused by the proceedings, could only nod hurriedly before darting off into the bushes. Inuyasha blinked; the kid was fast, alright. Kagome seemed torn between the men in her life, vacillating on the gate before she finally gave up and turned away, lost in thought. She didn't have the energy to dwell on the subject, which was spending her supply bit by bit. Inuyasha offered her a slight smile, a rare thing from him, and Kagome felt a warmth hit her in the chest; just one smile like that and her day was complete. What was it about him?

The couple walked quietly back inside, speaking in hushed voices and locking hands carefully; it was as if their fingers were glass and the mold had yet to set. They were just tiptoeing passed the kitchen, discussing their ride home, when Inuyasha's nose caught wind of a strange, intermingled scent. He paused, holding Kagome back; he could feel his own feet retracing wet steps on the hardwood. The steps led into the kitchen and ended at a chair near the table. The hanyou blinked and stared at the sight which met him, glancing back at Kagome and jerking his head in the direction of the spectacle. Kagome gasped and then covered her mouth quickly with her free hand, eyes shining with delight.

Gan and Akago had slept where they'd fallen. Akago was still sitting in the chair, legs spread and head forward; a small puddle had formed on the floor beneath him. Gan was sitting carefully between his legs, perched neatly on one of his thighs as she cradled his head to her chest. They looked positively artistic, unplanned and beautiful, like two statues intertwined. Kagome was able to make a lame motion towards Inuyasha, a motion which clearly said "get a camera," before he nodded and swept silently off as only demons could. Kagome stood there on the threshold of her kitchen, staring at her friends posed and slumbering, before something inside her began to move. It wasn't a physical thing perhaps, but something else; the tension in her head, in her body and in her heart snapped like a rubber band and, suddenly, she was awake. She was alive. She could remember the pain, the desperation, the feelings she'd tried so hard to stifle for a week. The secrets, the lies, the confusion, the mystery, the hate...

And she cried.

First it was one tear: small, perfect, leaving a white trail down her cheek and dropping off her chin only to land in a splatter on the wood. Then it was another. This one was slower, a deliberate tear that traced its way around freckles, playing connect the dots until it rolled over her lip and onto her tongue. The ones that followed were much the same, each following its own specified path before meeting its end on the ground below, some in her mouth, some on her shirt. This was where Inuyasha found her, standing in the kitchen in her oversized t-shirt, looking smaller than she ever had.

She looked like the world when she cried. The way she reached up her hand to shield her eyes: a mother with a sick child and too many bills. The slight shake of her head: a wife regretting her drunk husband on the floor of the living room. The hitch in her throat as she gasped: a grandmother mourning the grave of her only boy. The puddle of tears at her feet: a small girl wishing her daddy could come back from war, if only for her birthday.

Inuyasha lifted his hand to comfort her when he remembered the camera in his hands; he watched his girlfriend carefully for a moment before redirecting his attention to the device in his grasp. He nodded to himself, sure of his decision, before he lifted the camera to his eye and focused on one of the only sights that would ever lead him to remember Kyoto in fondness. Foul, broken, bleeding, dying Kyoto: and here was love, real love, in a decimated kitchen. He inhaled. She cried. They exhaled together.

_Click._

9191919

"Dude, you know how in Ghostbusters they say 'Don't cross the streams?'"

"Yeah?"

"Take a step over."

The other boys laughed as Miroku hurriedly took a step to his right, avoiding Inuyasha as they relieved themselves in the farthest reaches of the backyard. The morning had finally dawned in earnest and, eager to use the bathroom after a long and stormy night, the boys had all palled their way to the back porch, wherein they'd romped around in the yard for a few minutes before finding their so called "pissing stations." Sesshomaru mulled quietly over the fact that, like the common canine, demons were always invigorated after a large rain storm. Zipping up his jeans resolutely, Sesshomaru scratched his bare chest and turned to leave, glancing down the line of boys before he finally realized a noticeable absence.

"Has anyone seen Akago this morning?"

Ranbou frowned, blue eyes narrowed slightly. "He wasn't in his sleeping bag this morning."

Miroku shivered slightly in the cold, which seemed not to affect his demon friends; they were all waltzing around shirtless. "Didn't he go to move the van this morning?"

"Hope he didn't get caught out in the storm," Kouga mentioned menially, zipping up his jeans and reaching down to rinse his hands in the stream, which the boys had agreed was a "no-pee" zone.

Bankotsu frowned at the thought, crimson eyes troubled. "That would be shit; did anyone hear him come in?"

The others shook their heads.

Inuyasha bit his lip but said nothing, wondering if this was the moment in which he should be a good friend and wake the slumbering couple up. Not even the click of the camera or the padding of his and Kagome's footsteps had awakened them; for all he knew, they were still sleeping peacefully in the kitchen, limbs intertwined. The hanyou thought for a moment, ears twitching, before he finally decided to let the chips fall where they may. He continued to do his business as the others zipped up and entered the house after Sesshomaru, preparing to search for the Shark leader.

Sesshomaru glanced quizzically into each room, listening for signs of talking or stepping. The girls had hurried out into the woods for their own relief and Mrs. Higurashi had already left to pick up some materials at the local hardware store: the house was practically silent. The dog demon cocked his ear, listening intently, pretending as though the breathing of his friends behind him was not a distraction. It was his nose which finally solved the mystery of Akago's disappearance; the scent led him right to the kitchen.

The group of boys stood stupidly at the threshold to the kitchen, staring at the artistic living statue Inuyasha and Kagome had discovered that morning. The friends and brothers exchanged glances, staring helplessly at the vision, unsure of how to feel; finally, Miroku gave a small, muffled snort. The others took in the sight of Gan cradling Akago's head to her chest, both fast asleep, and finally realized that the laughter was that of embarrassed humor. They too began to snort and scoff until Akago twitched.

Miroku, Ranbou, Kouga, Bankotsu and even the stately Sesshomaru leapt behind the nearest wall, scared witless by the thought of being caught by Akago Tsume, fearless leader of the Sharks.

Akago blinked, finding himself surrounded by Gan's scent as though veiled in a curtain. Unlike the human confusion of waking up in a strange place, Akago remembered the events of the night immediately. He sighed contentedly, finding his neck stiff from his chosen sleeping position; he moved it slightly, reaching up to unwind Gan's thin arms from his neck. He managed the feat, able to easily swing her up into his arms as he decided to move towards the bedroom; she needed far more sleep than him and she deserved at least the floor cot, if not the feather bed of the English queens. Akago stopped moving for a moment, looking at her face and wondering if he were about to wake from a pretty dream.

She was sleeping soundly still, obviously bone tired from her worries and fears. Little blonde waves obstructed her face only slightly, adding a certain luminescent quality around her softly closed eyes. Her lips were so delicately set, as though they were moments from parting; she was perfect to him. And so light, he noticed; she weighed so little she was nearly a feather in his hands. He held her softly, bringing her unconsciously closer to his chest. His mouth was set in a determined line as he worked his way through the pros and cons of what his heart was demanding; he knew better than to listen to his heart when it screamed like this, as it had led him to perform so many foolish acts in the past, but the sight and feeling of Gan in his arms was nearly rendering him thoughtless. He wanted her, wanted to _be with _her. Tendrils of white hair fell loose from his braid, mingling with Gan's blonde. So alike, yet so different...

The Shark blinked, shaking his head as though to clear it; he'd yet to awaken from this fairy tale dream.

Akago straightened himself, briefly noting the tattered state of his pajamas, which were still damp from the raging storm. He was barely paying attention, only attempting to be quiet lest he wake the rest of the house. Unfortunately for the boys, Akago Tsume was a master at silence.

He turned the corner.

He stared.

They stared back.

He blinked.

They blinked.

"Awkward..."

9191919

Breakfast began for the group at 9:00, an hour which seemed much earlier than it actually was. Gan had awoken, mildly confused, in her cot some thirty minutes after Akago deposited her there and been none the wiser. She was vaguely attributing the fuzzy rain scene to some sort of dream in her mind, which was normally sharp and defined. When something confused her, she generally chalked it up to dreams or stories: this must be one of those times. The teenagers sat in the kitchen, munching lazily on English muffins and leftover sandwiches from the night before; no one complained about the meager meal, knowing how difficult it was for Kagome's family to scrounge together even this much.

Spirits seemed higher than they had been the previous day, perhaps owing to the rain storm and the envigoration it left in its wake. If not for Sango, who hated the cold mightily, the teenagers were more or less "happy."

"Hey Bou, that one's new, right?" Bankotsu asked conversationally, gesturing with his orange juice towards a tattoo on Ranbou's right wrist.

The wolf demon glanced down at it, ice blue eyes dull in the early morning, before holding it aloft. "Yeah, late July I guess."

It was an English inscription, written in flowing cursive script; red roses and pearl white doves decorated the outer edges. The others leaned in to get a closer look and several nodded, mentioning that they liked it or that it suited him. Inuyasha leaned in and attempted to sound out the English.

"He...with...swimming..." the hanyou glared down at the tattoo, which Ranbou had laid out on the table for his friend's examination. Finally, Inuyasha sighed huffily. "Naw, I can't read it. Fuckin' English is too confusing."

Gan glanced over at the tattoo, squinting slightly before reaching over and removing the spectacles from Akago's face. The motion startled him slightly and Kagome laughed at the surprised look on his handsome face.

"Let's see," Gan murmured, leaning in closely to examine the script. "He will swallow up death in victory."

Ranbou's eyes widened slightly. "Nice, Gan." The wolf adopted a sly expression and said confidently, "Alright, I'll give ya twenty bucks if you can tell me where it's from."

Without pausing, Gan replied, "Bible, Isaiah 25:8."

The room went rather quiet and several of the others began clapping, laughing at the stunned expression on Ranbou's expression. When even Akago looked surprised, Gan grew rather embarrassed; her cheeks flushed a pretty pink and she mumbled, "I've read the Bible, you know."

"I didn't know you were religious," Akago replied after a moment. He seemed to consider the fact and then muttered, "Odd."

"That doesn't make her religious," Kagome pointed out, shrugging her shoulders mildly. "That just makes her well read. But I might argue that having a tattoo from the Bible makes you religious." WIth this the girl turned a pointed gaze to Ranbou, who looked as though he were caught in a strange position.

He steeled himself and replied, "Well yeah, I'm Catholic."

Kouga rolled his eyes. "We haven't been to church since mom died, Ran, we're hardly Catholic now."

Ranbou was about to open his mouth to protest when the front door opened and slammed shut abruptly. The teenagers were about to call a hello to Kagome's mother when heavy and purposeful footsteps began stalking in the direction of the kitchen; the footsteps belonged to a man. Inuyasha took a whiff of the air drifting in from the hallway and felt his breath catch in his throat at the familiar scent of brass and polished leather. That scent could only mean one thing.

A cop.

"Shit," he muttered fiercely, amber eyes roving as he looked for the nearest way out. The others seemed to be following similar courses of action, though Sesshomaru and Akago stayed still, smoking their cigarettes blithely. Sesshomaru turned one careless eye to Akago, who was leaning back distractedly in his chair and staring at the ceiling.

"You seem unworried," the dog demon mentioned.

"As do you," Akago quipped in return.

"I see no reason to hide," Sesshomaru replied, eyes half hooded and hair falling gracefully over the back of his chair. "I've been charged with nothing."

"Nor I," Akago said in an aloof tone, seeming as though he were challenging Sesshomaru's arrest record with his own.

When neither party said anything more, the conversation fell and the pair watched silently as their friends began frantically thinking of escape plans, their eyes wide and sweats breaking out on their foreheads.

Kagome watched all of this with mild amusement, finally deciding that she could use a little fun after all of this hardship. "Tomo, we're in the kitchen," she called out, earning hisses and frantic stares from her friends. Kagome just laughed.

Tomo Higurashi was a man of intimidating size and nature. He was tall, well-built, and fierce in the eye; something about his stare suggested that no jokes be made, for he was incapable of laughter. His nose was straight, his mouth thin, and his hair groomed in a slicked back comb. Kagome knew him mostly on a superficial level, as she'd learned early on to visit her mother for any sort of emotional support; Tomo seemed to have no emotions. He was of the highest morality and character, a force to be reckoned with. As police chief in Kyoto, he'd quickly grown into a hard-hitting and militant man, no-nonsense and cold. He got to the point quickly, achieved his goals easily, and waded easily through the swamp of hardship.

As he entered the kitchen, dark blue uniform ironed and pressed with his hat tucked safely under his arm, the teenagers felt their blood freeze in their veins; he was fearsome to be sure.

Tomo's eyes swept the kitchen, falling over each boy and girl with a certain tight criticism, until he caught sight of Kagome sitting placidly at the table, smile smug and eyes laughing.

"Ah, Kagome; I'm sorry I couldn't greet you sooner," he said rather warmly, lips curving into a smile which was still rather chily.

Kagome rose from the table and embraced the man, who embraced her stiffly back; Inuyasha mused silently that this was possibly the only emotional qualities this man possessed, right on display for the whole kitchen to see. He struck Inuyasha as the type of man who only loved his family and justice. If he couldn't married justice, he might've.

"Introduce me to your friends," Tomo said when the hug had broken, eyeing the cliental in his kitchen suspiciously.

Akago watched the man curiously, peering through his spectacles at the police chief. It seemed that he was already well aware that these teenagers were far from ordinary. Akago glanced sideways at Sesshomaru, who just met his friend's gaze levelly; the knew there was nothing they could possibly do to escape the inevitable now. Whatever Tomo decided to do was beyond their control and there was no running. Might as well relax.

Kagome gestured to each person and said their name, watching rather giddily as the others nodded nervously and bowed their heads to her stepfather. Tomo's gaze washed over the entire room, black pupils darting back and forth sharply at each name and face.

When he'd finally been introduced to each and every one, he nodded slightly and murmured officiously, "Thank you for coming to our home and helping during this difficult time; we are more appreciative than words can express."

Kagome nodded slightly to her friends, smiling. They all smiled nervously, nodding back, before Tomo took his leave. He did so after one last chilling glare, having caught sight of Ranbou's tattoos and the numerous piercings in the kitchen. When he seemed to decide that nothing was expressly illegal, he exited.

A breath of relief went around the room and Kagome began to laugh outright, clapping her hands and stomping the floor with glee. "Oh my God, you should've seen your faces! You were scared shitless!"

Inuyasha bristled slightly, muttering, "Was not. I just didn't want to get you in trouble by saying something stupid is all."

Kagome, still chuckling, retook her seat beside him and took his hand, patting it comfortingly. She addressed the room at large. "Well, I love each and every on of you. Thanks for coming, guys."

And they all smiled in return. They would've done the same thing for anyone in the room and they were all aware. The friendship between them was not the normal kind, but that of a brotherhood, a coven.

They were family.

9191919

"So you're the student leazon to the Fine Arts Department?"

Apollo stared imperiously down at the boy before him, who almost matched his moderate height but stood just short of 6 feet. He had a messy mop of red hair and clear green eyes which never seemed to stop sparkling; judging by the goofy smile on his face, he was one of those perpetually happy people. Apollo rolled his eyes; just what he needed.

"Yes sir, Lysander MacHaryas at your service, sir," said the redheaded boy eagerly, shaking hands with his superior.

Apollo watched his new underling suspiciously, as though suspecting falsity. "What are you so happy about, you're starting to scare me."

Lysander smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders, placing his hands in his pocket like a small child. "Sorry, sir, I'm always kinda like this."

Apollo scratched his head, staring suspiciously at Lysander's still bright smile, before he finally said resignedly, "Well, I guess I can't complain. In any case, I wanted to let you know that I've chosen the musical for this year; Singing in the Rain. I don't expect most of you to know i-"

"That's my favorite movie!" Lysander exclaimed, grin growing wider if at all possible. "My parents used to watch it with my sister and I all the time."

After a slight silence, during which Apollo wondered about this boy and Lysander wondered if he'd locked his keys in the car, the two reconvened on the same train of thought and headed towards the nearest station. Apollo was fairly sure that this boy was of a certain persuasion that he was most likely unaware of, but the stage would certainly fix any misconceptions he might've formed about himself. Apollo had learned long ago that it was foolish to trick yourself into thinking that you were anything you weren't. You would only inevitably find out later that you were completely and totally wrong. Lysander was wrong about himself...that is, assuming he wasn't already aware of himself.

Apollo furrowed his brow at his own thoughts; what precisely had all of that meant?

"Sir?"

Lysander's questioning call brought Apollo back to the present time and the young theater director sighed, running his hands through his blue mop of hair distractedly; like his sister Polyhymnia, Apollo had the awful habit of lapsing into deep thought when in the company of others. It was confusing for absolutely everyone, including him.

"Yes, right. Singing in the Rain," Apollo said officiously, beckoning the boy into his office; the two of them had probably wandered halfway around the school looking for it, which was embarrassing for both of them, though their knowledge of the high school's layout was lacking on two counts. Apollo's office consisted of nothing but a desk and a stack of papers, which were waiting impatiently to be signed.

Apollo settled himself into the revolving chair, which felt rather foreign to his backside even still, and looked seriously up at his student. "I've heard scary things about this drama department, Mr. Macharyas. Most of the rumors lead to one thing: the drama department doesn't really exist."

Lysander only continue to smile blithely as he leaned against the back wall, watching his teacher interestedly. "Probably not, sir. I couldn't tell you; I just got here a month ago, really."

Apollo blinked his pink eyes, feeling despair consume him. "My finearts leazon has only been here for a month? What kind of operation is Shikaruni running here?"

Lysander snorted, looking almost negative for a moment. "It's not like that sir, I volunteered; I'm the only one secure enough in my sexuality to take the job on."

Apollo seemed to mull over this new bit of information for a moment before growing bold and leaning forward, eyes squinted at the redhead. "I could interpret that statement two ways and I'm fairly sure that you'd rather me not interpret it at all. Let it be known that I don't give a flying fuck who tries out, whether they're heterosexual, homosexual, transexual, bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual or a bleeding heart transvestite. I just need warm bodies. Some will undoubtedly be warmer than others." Though Apollo knew this statement bordered on inappropriate within the halls of a high school, he was of the opinion that art could not be ruled by a principal and neither could he.

If Lysander was surprised, he didn't show it. He sort of shrugged, looking momentarily thoughtful before he replied, "I'd say that's fair, sir; I don't give sexual preference much thought myself."

"Oh." Apollo felt the fire cool as soon as it had lit beneath him; he'd lead a rather slow day and was hoping for some sort of excitement. Channeling the mischievousness he'd known so well as a child, Apollo decided to utter another inappropriate question. "So, you're out then?"

Lysander decided that he had most definitely not locked his keys in the car. After a moment, Lysander realized that his teacher had just asked him something about his sexual orientation. The redhead blinked, thought for a moment, and then said airily, "If someone asked me my preference, I wouldn't lie. But no one ever asks because it's a weird thing to ask, you know? It's not really a conversation starter, especially around hundreds of people who think they already know everything about you." Lysander nodded slightly, smiling in his typical blithe fashion.

Apollo actually laughed at this; even though he knew little of Lysander, he could tell that this was most assuredly just his sort of answer. After a moment, Apollo leaned back in his chair and smiled rather blithely himself, at least as blithely as he could manage. "Well, join the club, boy. We're all sexually ambiguous in the theater."

"Oh, I know sir," Lysander laughed in return, eyes turning yellow in the light for a moment. "I've been at a fine arts academy for a few years. Only just got back."

This is when Apollo finally realized how lucky he'd unwittingly become; no wonder this boy had volunteered to be the leazon. "Excellent," Apollo murmured, coaxing another smile from his young charge. "We'll be having auditions sometime within the week. And unfortunately," he continued, holding up an odious piece of paper, "We've already been assigned some sort of deliquent kid that Shikaruni is trying to 'rehabilitate' with the theater. We have to give him a part and he has to be there every day...it's a thorn in my side."

Lysander took the paper from his teacher's outstretched hand and scanned it momentarily, almost laughing at what he read there. "Bankotsu Hiashi? We've been friends since grade school sir, he's almost the least disruptive student here. Fighting, was it?" The redhead frowned, suddenly thinking back. "Oh right. Some fight with Ryuu, I heard about that. Well, he won't be a problem sir. At least not discipline wise. I can't remember the last time he was punished in school. Consider this a big fluke."

Apollo was slightly relieved at hearing Lysander's assessment; the redhead also gave off the feeling of a non-liar, which would be good in the long run of this relationship. The man glanced up at the clock and frowned. "Oh, you're due in a class in a minute, Mr. Macharyas. Why don't you get on?"

"Alright, sir," Lysander replied easily, handing his teacher the information on Bankotsu's punishment. "I'll let some of the artsier kids know about the auditions and I'll probably make some fliers for you. Is that okay?"

"Sure, sure," Apollo murmured, a little bewildered; he hadn't expected anyone at this school to be so accomodating. "Tell all the South Tokyo flamers that we're rehabilitating the arts district; it's going to be a wild shindig."

Lysander laughed, already under the impression that his new teacher was a notorious rule breaker. "Sure sir. I think there's only two 'flamers' around, but I'll put the word out."

"I saw one of them this morning; swishing right down the hall with his nails painted pink," Apollo mused, recalling the strange instance. The boy had been talking animatedly with six butch looking characters, all of whom seemed completely uncompromised. It was hardly a high school sort of vision.

Lysander smirked. "Oh, that was Jakotsu Hiashi. Bankotsu's brother, actually. Yes, he's one of them."

"Brothers. Great," Apollo snorted. "What about the other one?"

At this, Lysander's eyes began to twinkle and he smiled mysteriously. "Tall, thin, happy guy; you'll see him. They call him Halloween."

"How strange," Apollo rebuffed, thinking about all of the terrible things which might've lead to this nickname. He looked at Lysander for a lingering moment, finally recognizing the look on his face. The older man muttered slyly, "And this Halloween, he's good looking?"

"I think so," Lysander replied, still grinning in that enigmatic way.

Apollo smiled knowingly and retreated into his office, saying faintly, "Right," before returning to his desk to do some paperwork. As Lysander hurried off to his chemistry class, Apollo began to sign away absently at the stack of foreboding insurance papers. If he knew anything, and he liked to think he did, Apollo was betting that Lysander and Halloween had a thing going on. And if they didn't, it was in the making. Yes sirree, in the making. Just like Apollo's headache.

9191919

**Thanks for being so understanding. I love everyone.**

**Here's Sesshomaru's playlist:**

Sesshomaru

1. Bones- The Killers

2. Creep- Stone Temple Pilots

3. You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb- Spoon

4. She's On My Mind- Teddy Geiger

5. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room- John Mayer

6. The Animals Were Gone- Damien Rice

7. Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk- Rufus Wainwright

8. Faster- Third Eye Blind

9. Who I Am- Smile Empty Soul

10. Steady As She Goes- The Raconteurs

11. If You Crump Stand Up- edIT

12. A Favor House Atlantic- Coheed and Cambria

13. Abraham- Sufjan Stevens

14. Just Like I Am- Landon Pigg

15. The Lords of Salem- Rob Zombie

16. Animal I Have Become- Three Days Grace

17. Sick Cycle Carousel- Lifehouse

18 .Numbness for Sound- Howie Day

19 .Another Perfect Day- American Hi-Fi

20. Halo- Oleander

**Have a nice day. Reviews are welcome but not expected since I've been so bad. : (**


	13. Peabody

**Well, I guess you all deserve an explanation and I'm going to make it as simply as possible:**

**KOLU+college boyfriend= biggest most awful fucktastic thing that has ever happened. **

**I will never let boys come between me and my beloved writing ever again. When I told him about this story and he snorted, that should've been my first clue. **

**We're 1200 miles away at different colleges now, so everything will be a-ok. I know most of you have probably moved on with your lives, but if for some reason you still have it in you to read this, I love you desperately. If you're new on bored, enjoy yourselves. It's like you won't even have to wait for this chapter because you just started reading!**

**I've been stewing over this chapter for, like, more than a year. So...gitterdone.**

**919191919**

_Peabody: a dance made popular during war time by a police officer who loved ragtime. It represents new beginnings but also the ending of something beautiful._

**919191919**

Tobi Skull stared at the ceiling, mapping the contours and edges of the plaster. It was four on a Monday morning and his eyes had yet to close, despite Bones's even breathing in the bed across the room; troubles nagged at his mind, troubles in Kyoto, troubles with his family, troubles with everything he could possibly imagine. He was the upbeat leader, the more spunky of the two Jackrabbit kings, and he felt it was his duty to continue his optimism, despite the negativity poisoning his senses. He couldn't be sad, not even for a moment, for it would dishearten more people than just him. In retrospect, he'd lost the most important thing in his life: his gang. Bones and Kina were important to him, of course, as were his other friends and their safety, but nothing could compare to the beach house in Kyoto, waves lapping quietly and birds singing in the early morning as their wings skimmed the water.

His heart ached at the very thought of home.

A door opened quietly downstairs and Skull blinked, glancing out to the hallway and wondering if this could mean the arrival of the girls; they'd been gone for these three long days and he had to admit that he missed them mightily. The blonde rose quietly from his bed, being careful to tip toe out the door and down the stairs. The marble was cold on his bare feet as he skittered across the floor, hugging his bare arms to his chest as he braced himself against the chilly outside wind; the kitchen door was open. Hushed voices confirmed his suspicions and he entered the kitchen, smiling warmly as a haggard looking Kagome and Rin stumbled inside.

"Welcome home, ladies," he greeted softly, blue eyes bright with happiness.

Kagome looked up through her own hazy eyes and managed a smile in return, honestly glad to see her friend but almost too tired to acknowledge the fact. Rin waved pitifully, rubbing her eyes like a small child as she dropped her duffle bag on the kitchen floor.

"Hey Skull," Kagome finally replied, pulling him into a hug and practically collapsing into his hold. Her very bones ached from the stress of traveling through the night and she could feel her eyelids begging to close for a good night's sleep. She might be forced to take the following day off from school just to recover. Kagome and her friends had worked on the house and yard right up until midnight when they'd left and she was almost dead from it, as were the others; the house was in much better shape than when they'd left and, thankfully, her family had been able to move back into the mainhouse from the shrine hut. Though parting from her mother had been difficult, Kagome was glad to be back in Tokyo. She was beginning to think of this ridiculous mansion as home anyway.

"Get some work done?" Skull asked as Rin moved to find a soda in the fridge.

"Yeah, it went really well. My parents seemed not to care that all of my friends are scary looking," Kagome half joked, taking a seat at the table. As an afterthought, she murmured, "Though I did learn something while I was there...do you know a kid named Souta?"

Skull's mind immediately found the skinny teenager, his fastest runner and one of his most loyal followers. He loved the boy, honestly, and the thought of him brought up that familiar aching hurt; what he wouldn't give to see his men again. Though his blue eyes saddened considerably, he answered easily, "One of my runners. Did you find him out there?"

Kagome smiled slightly; so Skull hadn't known about their relation after all. She'd wondered if the Jackrabbit had kept the fact from her or simply hadn't been aware; it was apparently the latter. "You could say that. He's sort of my brother."

Skull's eyes expanded to the size of dinner plates and he plopped down uselessly at the table, mouth agape; Kagome nearly laughed at his face. The boy ran a hand through his unruly blonde hair, muttering crazily, "Brother? Higurashi? Oh my God. The chief of police's son, in my gang, running around, carrying valuable information, in danger almost constantly. I'm an asshole."

Rin snorted, shutting the refrigerator door with her hip as she drank straight from a two liter bottle of Coke. "There's no way you could've known, Skull. And besides, Souta would never rat; you're safe."

"Not what I was worried about," Skull said hurriedly shaking his hands. "I just...damn, I didn't even have a clue. It's normal not to know last names, I just never even thought..." He trailed off, looking slightly lost and disappointed, perhaps in himself.

"Don't worry, Skull, he's the same kid," Kagome reasoned, smiling peacefully. "I'm proud of him, even. You should call him; he and some of the other boys are trying to put themselves back together."

There was a brief silence before Skull chuckled and closed his eyes. "I knew they would; only a matter of time. I'll give him a call for sure; great kid."

"Sure is," Rin agreed, taking another awkward swig from the enormous bottle.

Kagome leaned back in her chair and threw an arm over her face, enjoying the darkness; she felt as though these past few days had been but a blur of light. Though cloudy, rank and depressing, Kyoto had seemed so bright to her, as though she could see everything too clearly. She'd grown up on that street, she knew those people, she remembered how many steps it took to get to the corner store; how could everything she'd known, her memories, her love, be reduced to rubble just like that? Why did she feel so terrible despite the fact that her house was in considerably better shape? She just wanted to feel happy again.

"Alright, love?" Skull asked after a moment, smiling as best he could. There he went, trying to be cheerful again. It just wasn't working like he wanted it to.

Kagome glanced up at the voice, nodding her head slightly. "Just tired," she lied, not wanting to burden him. Adding her sorrow on top of his just seemed cruel. "I'm gonna go on up to bed; don't wake me up tomorrow. I'm not gonna do the school thing...not after that." And with this, she stood and shouldered her bag, exiting the kitchen and trudging up the stairs. Rin and Skull watched her go, listening to her soft, weary footsteps as they ascended the steps and disappeared into her bedroom. The door closed quietly behind her.

Skull glanced at Rin, eyes skeptical. "That bad?" he asked hesitantly.

Rin huffed slightly. "Worse. I don't know how she's standing. I should probably get up to bed too; I might end up skipping out too, but I bet Sesshie would yell at me. Night, Tobi."

Skull smiled again, watching Rin put the Coke bottle back in the refrigerator before collecting her things and heading up to her own room. As he sat alone in the kitchen, Skull began to hate. He hated the man who'd fired the shot, he hated Kyoto, he hated Tokyo, he hated everything and everyone he knew; everything was ruined. He just wanted it to be the way it had been those few weeks ago. He wanted normality and happiness like before. But it was never going to happen. Not now.

9191919

MIroku expected to wake up the day after his late night car trip feeling worn and slightly haggard; the last thing he expected was a headache, congestion and fever to go with his fatigue. As he swung his legs over the side of the bed, a nauseous feeling enveloped him and he swayed slightly, clapping a hand to his throbbing head; he could feel his heart beating in his temples. With a confused groan, he glanced down at his own feet and felt the strongest urge to be sick. If it weren't for the stifling thickness in his head, he might've very well lost whatever contents inhabited his stomach.

"Master Hoshi? You'll be late for school, sir."

The maid's voice wafted in from the hallway and Miroku glanced blearily up, opening his mouth to call out; the only thing that came out was a bitter, wretched cough. The door cracked open and the maid hurried inside, finding her Master close to retching at his bedside; she arrived with the trash can just in time.

*!*!*!*

Gan awoke that morning to the sound of her cellphone dancing across the kitchen table. She'd fallen asleep atop her physics book and now found herself peeling her face off of the cardinal laws page. She sighed heavily, willing her eyelids to open as she reached for the phone.

"Hello?'

"Gan, it's Miroku. I'm sick; I need help...or something. That sounded a little gay."

As the immediacy of Miroku's problem entered Gan's subconscious, she slowly began to awake, manually prying open her eyes and shaking her head terribly. "Sick? What kind of sick?" She rubbed a hand along her face, trying to categorize her thoughts into necessary and unnecessary. School=unnecessary. Miroku's health=necessary. Though it pained of her to think of school so dismissively, she was attached to the idea of her friends' well being. She had a feeling that Miroku wasn't sick very often and, if memory served correctly, Inuyasha was absolutely abhorrent when Miroku wasn't around. Kagome was also mad when Inuyasha wasn't in a good mood and, bingo, Gan's day was ruined. _I'm a terrible friend; I'm so self interested it's practically a sin. Send me to confession._

Miroku's reply to Gan's question was not immediate. "Well, I'm sore."

Gan hesitated. "Sore?"

"And congested. And my head sort of hurts...and I threw up."

Gan sighed, cursing under her breath; flu season. How she hated it. "Alright, Miroku, just sit tight and I'll be there soon. Can I have your address?"

Miroku coughed wretchedly. "250 Yokisama Court."

Gan's eyebrows flew up and she found her normally nimble mind oddly blank; the most expensive street in town. As she murmured, "Be right there," and ended the phone call, Gan mentally chastised herself for forgetting the important factor of Miroku's wealth; his father was, after all, a mob boss. She should've remembered, but there was simply so much to think about these days that even _her _ mind was becoming exhausted. As she threw her legs over the side of the bed and tightened her robe, Gan shook her blonde head and groaned. This was probably going to be one of those days.

Gan gathered her things and pattered off towards her personal quarters, mind skittering about in seventeen different directions; she needed to complete her physics homework, check on Miroku, do Shark finances and speak with the Kyudo archery instructor at school about pre-season training, not necessarily in that order. As she began dissecting physics problems in her head, Gan tripped unceremoniously on a text book and nearly fell. As she looked back towards the odd text book, which was simply laying in the middle of the floor, she felt her breath catch in her throat; Akago was asleep on the couch.

She tiptoed towards him, captivated by the sight; he truly was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. Pale, perfect skin, lips which were simple but masculine in some strange way; his hair was like spun snow, his eyelashes long and curvaceous...for some reason she wanted to touch his face. She kneeled down beside the couch, listening to his slow and even breathing, and keeping her eyes carefully trained on his hands should he awake suddenly; he could kill her with one blow, she knew, if the timing was right. His pale, butterfly-catcher's hands were twitching ever so slightly, arranged in a strange position, and Gan nearly laughed as she realized that he was playing the violin in his dreams. Charming.

Gan remembered herself abruptly, blushing at the thoughts which had so invasively entered her mind. With one quick decision, she reached out her hand and knocked slightly on his chest; Akago stirred.

His crimson eyes opened slowly, registering the fact that he was, indeed, at home and surrounded by the scent of the woman he loved. Er, liked. Um...respected. There, that sounded better. Gan was hovering over him, golden hair catching the morning sunlight ever so.

Morning sunlight...crap.

"What time is it?" Akago asked suddenly, sitting upright and looking around bewilderedly.

Gan smiled at his startled nature. "7:30, school doesn't start for another hour and a half."

Akago relaxed visibly and smiled at his mistake, returning his attention to Gan; she was so beautiful he couldn't even breathe. Gan seemed not to notice his staring and returned to her morning preparations, hurrying to her room and shuffling around as she prepared for her impromptu journey to Miroku's mansion. Soon enough, a sleepy looking Halloween came loping out of the bunk room, rubbing his eyes and yawning like a kitten. Akago smiled and poured Halloween a glass of orange juice, as per usual.

"Good Morning, Halloween," he said warmly, smiling at the boy.

"Toumoku," Halloween yawned in reply, slumping over on the counter as he stared at the orange juice lifelessly.

For a moment, Akago pondered Halloween's less than excited face and mulled over the strangeness of it; no matter what the hour, Halloween was always cheerful. Furthermore, he tended to awaken early on weekdays to make breakfast; today was apparently apart from the others.

"Are you alright, Halloween?" Akago asked. "You look exhausted."

Before Halloween could answer, Gan came rushing out in her school uniform, carrying her school bag in one hand and her medical satchel in the other. "Got to go, Miroku's feeling poor, but see you at school?" she called dismissively to Akago, smiling briefly before she whisked out the door. Halloween watched his Toumoku's eyes glaze over at the sight of his one true love and the orange-eyed demon couldn't help but giggle; it was all so romantic, especially for those two.

"Kijo is so pretty," Halloween purred, eyes glittering with delight.

Akago didn't respond for a moment. Finally, he placed the orange juice carton carefully back in the refrigerator and replied placidly, "Yes she is. Now, do you feel alright?"

Halloween frowned, pouting slightly. "I could barely sleep all night, Toumoku!"

"Why?" Akago asked curiously.

"Because all I could do was think about Lysander!" Halloween replied resolutely, pounding his fist on the table; he was now pouting full on, eyebrows furrowed and everything. "It's not fair, Toumoku! He's positively lovely and he'll never love me back! He's just too perfect!"

For the second time that week, Akago found himself stunned by one of Halloween's unprefaced homosexual admissions. The Shark leader consequently dropped his glass and watched it surreptitiously land in a sink full of soap water. Though the glass didn't break, Akago was subsequently soaked. As he toweled himself off and glanced over at Halloween, the white haired man muttered, "Sorry, a bit surprised there. Who did you say?"

"Lysander," Halloween replied, twirling his finger around in his orange juice morosely. "He's absolutely divine."

It took Akago a few moments to register the fact that Halloween was talking about Lysander Macharyas, son of the Yakuza business mogul and twin of Gan's most bitter enemy; the lion demon hadn't even come to Akago's mind at first. Akago was unaware that Lysander was gay and, if he was, it seemed doubtful that he and Halloween would've even met; the redhead had only been in town for a month or so and Halloween had only been at the one meeting concerning Kagome's house in Kyoto. While Akago was busy musing over the idea of his soldier and Lysander Macharyas dating, the orange-eyed demon continued his child-like babbling.

"...and he's funny and really nice! And absolutely gorgeous, besides that. It's maddening!" At this point, Halloween actually released a whimper and Akago sighed at the pitiful sound.

"Halloween, I don't know anything about Lysander's sexual orientation but I wouldn't encourage any forthright movements from your end. It would simply harm you, I think." The Shark leader reached into the cupboard and withdrew a box of cheerios, pouring them into a bowl and staring at the o's as they collided below; just like his life. _Congratulations on your nonsensical metaphor, Akago. Now we're all going mad and not just over our gay lovers._

Halloween looked pleasantly puzzled over Akago's insinuation. "Oh, you don't think he's...gay? Is that the word you used?"

"Yes, gay," Akago replied patiently, pouring Halloween a bowl of cheerios as well; the boy was far too skinny.

Halloween thought for a moment, black hair like silk before his eyes, until he seemed to come to an answer. "Well, I'm not worried. He's gay."

"You're so sure?" Akago asked, unconvinced.

Halloween grinned. "Oh yes!"

Akago frowned but kept his thoughts to himself; somehow, he doubted that a man put in Lysander's social position could admit to anyone, especially himself, that he was possibly homosexual. Akago was very supportive of the movement and all that, but he knew there were still restrictions in the modern world and being gay would always be difficult. It was bad enough that Halloween was gay and gullible; Akago didn't want to imagine gay and in danger.

To prevent himself from saying something hurtful, Akago excused himself and began getting ready for school, glancing over his shoulder at his daydreaming soldier. Halloween's eyes were still wide and dream-like, wrapped up in thoughts of his beautiful Lysander Macharyas. Akago just hoped it didn't break his heart.

*!*!*!*!*

Bankotsu stared at the doors to the theater, large and imposing, square, dark, everything he was not; the smallest Hiashi brother reshouldered his bag and shifted his wide shoulders in the confining starch white of his shirt. He was so uncomfortable at the mere sight of the theater, he couldn't imagine what weeks worth of time spent here might do to him. His reputation, his pride, so many other things that he couldn't sacrifice...what was he going to do with himself? What was his men say? His brothers? His friends? Bankotsu sighed and ran a hand over his silken black head; this was impossible to negotiate and he knew it, but surely there was some way out of this, the seventh circle of hell: auditions.

"Hey!"

THe boy nearly jumped out of his skin as the little voice arrived at his right. Mizumi seemed startled by Bankotsu's surprise and leapt a little as he turned, eyes wide. She looked pretty today, he noticed, though she looked pretty every day. It was just the turn of her eyes today, trained upon him, that made her so pleasing to his vision; he was an arrogant man and unembarrassed by the fact.

"Hey," he replied, calming himself; the frown returned. "Just...getting ready to go in."

Mizumi stifled a smile and replied rather seriously, "It'll be hard, I know, but you're a trooper." Her crimson eyes were dancing with humor as she twirled a green curl around her finger. Bankotsu's mouth went dry; she'd worn her hair down. That's why she looked so pretty.

"Yeah, I'm pretty tough," he recovered, clearing his throat. He stared at the door, anxiety filling him. "I just...I'm just out of my element. Like, not in a bragging way, but I'm good at stuff. I'm a good mechanic and a good athlete and stuff like that, I'm just not a singer or a dancer or an actor. And I don't want to look stupid."

Mizumi felt sympathy flood her and she glanced up at the boy, handsome face contorted with worry. She set her little mouth and decided to be brave for him. "Well, I bet you'll do great. I'll sit in the audience, okay? Just look at me the whole time."

Bankotsu, however comforted by the though, was also slightly apprehensive. She was the one person he would most hate to look stupid in front of. "You don't have to, I don't want to make you watch this."

"No, no, really! It'll make you feel better," Mizumi insisted, placing both of her hands on his back and pushing. "Here we go!"

Bankotsu gulped and allowed the little girl to maneuver him inside where the stage was illuminated in a glowing yellow light. Bankotsu's demon eyes could make out roughly 4 people inside, combined with several scents that he was quite familiar with; the husky Macharyas musk was present, in two counts; it seemed as though the twins had turned out. He vaguely remembered the scent of Poly-sensei, that weird blue-headed dance teacher, and a second scent that was easily relatable to hers. Siblings, maybe? Bankotsu wasn't sure, but he was ever-aware of the little, perfect hands on the small of his back. His mouth was a desert.

"Ah, my delinquent," came a dry voice, belonging to a young blue-haired man with wry pink eyes. The man was carrying a clipboard, which lead Bankotsu to identify him as the director. The strange man looked awfully young, but the arrangement of his face left little doubt as to his relationship to Poly-sensei.

Mizumi stopped pushing and allowed her own eyes to adjust, now able to see her dance instructor and the Macharyas twins in the front row. The theater was dusty and poorly taken care of, though the girl could hardly see South Tokyo High as a bastion for musical expression; it was probably frowned upon, if anything. Frowning, Mizumi found herself hiding slightly behind Bankotsu's larger frame; Fennella and Lysander were here, which meant that they would notice Ryuukoytsusei's sister and the leader of the Cobras interacting. Dangerous. Crap, she hadn't thought this far ahead.

Bankotsu seemed unconcerned and only continued walking forward, clearing his throat and replying to his teacher, "Yes sir, I'm Bankotsu Hiashi."

The blue-haired man sighed, a sound which came out as a near groan, and barked, "I know who you are, take a seat." Turning restlessly, he muttered loudly to himself, "Good job she says, interested kids she says. 4 fucking kids show up and they want a show. Damn Tokyo arrogance..."

Poly-sensei cleared her own throat and her brother seemed to remembered himself. Gathering his wits about him, the director addressed the small audience strongly. "I'm Apollo Pierre, your new theater director. I think you all know my sister, Polyhymnia. We'll be putting on what is sure to be a rag-tag version of Singing in the Rain. I'm not very patient or very nice, so don't screw with me; do your best. Let's see what you've got Lysander."

Bankotsu and Mizumi unsurely took seats beside Fennella, who nodded at her friends without seeming to notice something amiss in their company. The Cobra and Dragon exchanged uneasy glances, feeling as though they couldn't even touch or even breathe. What if Fennella or Lysander was offended by them? Lysander, however, seemed not to care about anything but the stage and leapt to his feet when Apollo called his name, mounting the stage confidently. Lysander gave the impression of someone who'd done this many times before and Bankotsu squinted slightly; he knew Lysander was a musician, but how far could that possibly carry him into theater?

"What will you be singing?" Apollo asked lazily, voice belaying his dread about this whole affair.

Lysander seemed not to notice the director's tone and replied calmly, "Singing in the Rain, sir."

"Alright then, whenever you're ready," the man replied, looking to the piano player fiddling with his glasses in the corner.

The player gave a jittery nod and adjusted himself, blinking at the music as his hands began tinkling on the ivory keys. When Lysander opened his mouth to sing, Mizumi and Poly looked politely interested while Fennella looked smug and Bankotsu looked skeptical. The sound that Lysander produced stunned them all; his voice was a smooth and charming tenor, with a pleasant amount of vibrato that warmed the ear drums of everyone present. Bankotsu gulped slightly, glancing sideways at Mizumi. The girl met his eyes and shrugged helplessly; she couldn't help Bankotsu this time. The sound of Lysander's voice had an almost opiate quality to it; the auditorium was silent.

When Lysander finished with one last brilliant note, Apollo simply continued to stare at him until the piano player cleared his throat. "Right, very good," Apollo said gruffly, snapping back to life at a moment's notice. "Let's have our next contestant, please."

Fennella's fantastic, belting soprano didn't do much for Bankotsu's confidence either.

Mizumi sighed as she surveyed the boy's terrified face. This was going to be a long ordeal.

919191919

Kagome breathed in a deep sigh of chilly air and gently brushed a stray leaf from her face; since she'd laid down underneath the oaks in the courtyard twenty minutes ago, the tree had decided to give way to autumn right on her face. Kagome's day had been uneventful at best and she was hardly determined to make something of it. It was all too much work...she was simply exhausted.

"You look about as excited as I feel," came a familiar approaching voice.

Kagome laughed shortly, smiling as Inuyasha collapsed beside her on the grass; he smelled familiar and comforting, like a house that followed her on two legs. He was smiling faintly, faint like the happiness she'd known so briefly that summer. Everything now was filled with complications. Kagome reached up a hand and absentmindedly twisted a wayward white lock around her finger.

"I'm fucking pumped," she joked, allowing a rarely used profanity.

Inuyasha laughed, a sound which never failed to send warm blood through Kagome's veins. He clasped her outstretched hand in his and kissed her knuckle. "Yeah, well we're all just glad to be here. Miroku has the flu, you know."

Kagome made a face. "Ugh, the flu sucks. Did he go to a doctor?"

"Gan paid him a house call this morning, said he was pretty much right in all the flu stuff. Don't know where he got it," Inuyasha mused, looking thoughtful. He wasn't generally well versed on human diseases, but he was fairly certain that they passed from one human to another. According to old examples, like the Spanish Influenza and things like that, didn't several humans get sick at once?

But Kagome just shrugged it off. "He could've gotten it from a handrail, Inuyasha, diseases are everywhere."

Inuyasha shuddered. "That's disgusting. Glad I can't catch any of that shit."

This only made Kagome laugh as Inuyasha absently began running his hands through her glossy hair, laid out on the grassy floor. The two sat in silence for some time before the hanyou decided to do something he rarely did: share a personal conflict with his girlfriend.

"Can I ask your opinion on something?" he asked quietly, sounding earnest, if not embarrassed.

Kagome's eyes grew wide almost instantaneously; it was rare that Inuyasha asked her opinion on anything besides cars and that was almost never. But their interactions lately had been lifeless, dull, devoid of the passion she remembered from that brilliant summer. If only in a desperate attempt to mend the bridges she'd allowed to crumble, Kagome smiled up at her boyfriend.

"Sure, Inuyasha. Ask me anything."

Inuyasha smiled fleetingly in return and then took in a small but nervous breath. "So, I've been thinking lately. About...things. And not normal things either. I mean, about things that...I'm not good at."

Kagome listened silently, trying to unravel Inuyasha's tangled words; he was being hopelessly vague, but she only hoped that he could finally open up to her. Unfortunately, when he was done, it would be her turn. She would simply have to bear it.

Realizing that Kagome's pensive brown stare meant that she was listening unequivocally, Inuyasha continued. "I...know there's a lot I don't tell you about a lot of shit. And I wanted you to know that it's not because I don't trust you or don't want you to know. It's just because...I don't want you to have all that extra crap on top of your own crap. We all got problems and I know you're...sympathetic. I don't want you to take my problems on yourself. That's why."

Kagome felt the words crack open her chest and hit her heart with the weight of the planet Earth. He was trying to apologize for causing her worry. And all this time she'd thought her hurting had escaped his notice. By this time, Inuyasha was aware that Kagome's facial expression had morphed from pensive to stricken in four seconds flat, but he was unwilling to stop there. He had so much to say. He opened his mouth to speak and felt the outside air rush in, tickling his fangs and the cavities of his mouth. But no words flowed forth. Only air.

Seizing the opportunity, Kagome sat up and reached her hands forward, capturing Inuyasha's face in her palms. She forced him to look into her eyes, in all their muddy brown mess, trying to ignore the helplessness lingering in his own. "Inuyasha, I love you anyway."

His gaze was undefinable. He wondered briefly if he was confused but decided that must not be it; he was sure about Kagome that he couldn't actually pick up on any of his other feelings. It was controlling, completely and totally. Finally, he just mumbled, "I love you too, love you anyway...even though I suck."

Kagome laughed sort of, though Inuyasha reckoned it actually sounded close to tears. He didn't know enough about crying to tell.

919191919

Fennella was having an absolutely terrible day. Not only did her shattered hand ache terrible inside its makeshift cast, but it had caused all sorts of conundrums since the minute she woke up. First, she'd spilled her coffee on her shoes, which were now slightly brown. Second, she'd nearly been in a head on collision with Mad Max on her motorcycle as she pulled into the school parking lot (the bastard should give her a break; he could take his "fuckings" and just shove them up his...well, you know.) And now, thirdly, she found herself unable to open her locker. With her dominant hand out of commission, she was forced to use her slightly less capable hand to do things like writing and using a fork. That was all well and good, if not a bit awkward, but opening her jammed locker was another thing. Using one's non-dominant hand is akin to walking after awaking from a coma: nothing feels quite right about it.

"Dammit!" she screamed, red hair whirling like a hurricane as she performed a flouncy, angry foot shuffle. "Why me?" With an aggravated roar she threw her book bag down on the ground with a resounding thump and started yanking violently at the door, unembarrassed by her passion; it was already 4:30 and there was no one left in the hallways anyway. She might as well just let it all out. Not only had her audition for the musical barely brought a twitch to the director's face, but she was fairly certain that she wasn't lead material anyway. She might have the voice of an angel, but she was athletic and large, quite unlike the original lead in Singin' in the Rain. She might as well throw in the towel and watch her brother skip across the stage to win 5,000 more awards because it was back to the mediocrity bin with her. Fennella Macharyas: nothing special.

"FUCK!"

Energy practically drained out of her as Fennella registered the futility of her struggle; she was pretty sure the laces of her pointe shoes had gotten trapped in the door hinge and it was all pointless now. She and her broken hand and her stupid dreams of being equal, at least, to her brother were the same: shattered.

Just as she slid down ground beside her book bag and began pounding uselessly at the linoleum in a slow, driving rhythm, a pair of heavy footsteps drew her attention to the end of the hallway.

A large, imposing figure was strolling leisurely towards her, legs strong and thick. She followed the legs up to a strong chest and even farther to a ruggedly handsome but slightly scarred face. Kobu Piazzola.

Kobu seemed unshaken by her strange display of emotion, which she was only now beginning to register, and only continued his slow and purposeful walk until her arrived at her fallen form; he seemed oddly unafraid to meet her eyes. Fennella stared at him, face a mixture of horror and curiosity, until he grinned and crouched beside her. His black ponytail was even darker than Miroku or Ranbou's hair. It was so pitch black it was almost frightening.

"Can't get your locker open, stud?"

Though it was clearly meant as a light tease, Fennella scowled and hissed like a threatened cat. "Fuck you, Piazzola, I'm stronger than 10 of you."

Kobu's experience with Fennella was very limited, maybe even to the point where they'd never spoken a word. He couldn't be sure, as there were many beautiful women at South Tokyo High and he could barely keep them straight, but he liked to think he would've remembered a conversation with this girl. Everyone knew her: Ayame's brash second with the flaming red hair and bull-stupid athleticism. He'd witnessed Fennella attempting to break up a drug deal the previous year; it had been the dead of winter and the docks were covered in snow even whiter than the 20 lbs. of cocaine being so secretly passed from hand to hand. Gan the Gun had stepped up to fight her, as usual, but Kobu could still remember the way her red curls mixed with the falling snowflakes. The color contrast had been so startling and raw, the only distraction until her blood stained the pearly snow a brash crimson; his feeling then had been the bitterest of triumphs.

"Hey, never said you weren't," Kobu said calmly, smiling disarmingly as he rose to his feet and gave her locker a sharp tug. The door flew open and one of the hinges fell slightly to the side, causing even Fennella's eyes to widen. Kobu looked a bit embarrassed and murmured apologetically, "Sorry, I'm kinda like a bull in a China shop, if ya know what I mean."

After an awkward silence, Kobu reached down his hand and Fennella took it automatically with her right, wincing as she remembered her injury. Kobu blinked but tried not to let out a wince himself; for a demon to deserve a cast, the injury must be pretty heinous. Fennella was heavier than he thought she'd be when he pulled her to her feet; he could see almost every muscle in her legs as she stood.

"Thanks, I guess," Fennella said quietly, not daring to meet eyes with her would-be knight in shining armor. Somehow, the fairytale didn't usually involve the arrival of her enemy's errand boy.

Kobu seemed to find her gratitude feigned, but only snorted; he wasn't completely stupid when it came to social hints and her discomfort around him was obvious. Dragons and Wildcats never mixed and for good reason.

"Don't worry about it," the boy mumbled, reshouldering his bag and turning to leave as his ink-black ponytail dripped like silk over the white of his dress shirt.

Fennella was, for some reason, trying to calculate a reason to call him back; she couldn't say precisely why, but she wanted to speak with him. What were they going to speak about? She wasn't sure. And why did she give a damn anyway? She wasn't sure about that either. But one thing was certain: he was the first pot of gold at the end of her wobbly rainbow of a day.

Fortunately, the lioness found herself beat to the punch. Kobu turned slightly over his shoulder, watching as the enigmatic redhead seemed to wrestle with her thoughts.

"Hey."

Fennella whipped her head around to face the deep, soothing voice; it reminded her of the ocean floor, as though no one had ventured as far to hear it. She felt so startled by the intensity of the sound that she dropped everything she was holding: a pencil, a journal and a bottle of pain pills.

"Yeah, what?" she demanded harshly, baring her fangs slightly as she tried to make up for her transgression, bending to collect her items. Kobu bit back a sharp intake of breath as a slight wind fluttered and revealed a glimpse of her upper thigh.

"What happened to your hand exactly?" he asked, sounding as steady as possible.

Fennella snorted, tossing her red curls moodily to the side. "Good fucking question." She grabbed the pencil, which had rolled boredly off to her left, and began perusing the floor in search of her pain pills, which had coincidentally ended their journey at the tip of Kobu's boot.

"Are you going to answer that good fucking question?" Kobu teased lightly, bending down to retrieve the pills and reading the label casually. Morphine.

Fennella noticed all too late that her pills had become the temporary possession of her companion and cursed quietly. Drawing in a slow breath, the redhead stood to her impressive height and held out a clawed and freckled hand. Her green eyes reflected the weariness she felt and Kobu dropped the bottle easily into her outstretched hand.

"Thank you very much," she said sarcastically, tossing the bottle carelessly into her locker. "If you must know, some Vixens decided to take a bite out of crime, me being the crime."

Kobu thought about this comment for a moment, watching as the girl gathered the necessary books for her night's work. She moved like a cat, though this was hardly unexpected; it was the power in her reach that really caught his eye. When a jungle cat stalks its pray, the shoulder blades on its slim back undulate, pounding its muscled legs into the ground. Fennella was much this way, looking as though she could always leap into a fighting rage. It was sort of...sexy.

Clearing his throat, more to bring himself out of his stupor than anything, Kobu said menially, "Well, we all know they're sluts and nothin' more. I bet if they'd challenged you one on one like real soldiers they wouldna stood a chance."

Fennella zipped up her backpack and shut her locker door, turning quietly to face Kobu as her hand remained steadied on the cold iron plate. "You and I both know people don't always play by fighting rules."

Kobu snorted, his scarred face suddenly grim. "Yeah, true enough. Sorry they didn't, anyway."

"Yeah, me too," Fennella snorted, giving what could best be described as a ghost of a smirk before she turned and made her way towards the exit doors at the hall's end. She was vaguely aware of Kobu's eyes following her the whole way down, never leaving the base of her neck where it met her shoulders. It figures: the one sane guy in this ridiculous school and he wasn't even looking at her ass. Figures.

9191919

**There you have it, an author's attempt to pick something up where it was left off way long ago. I'll have to do some reading to get back into the spirit. It's been a long time since I touched this, but I thought about them every day.**

**Gan's playlist:**

1. Speak Slow- Tegan and Sara

2. David- Nellie Mckay

3. I Want to Break Free- Queen

4. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon- The Puppini Sisters

5. Taste You- Melissa Auf der Maur

6. Samson- Regina Spektor

7. Ice Cream- New Young Pony Club

8. Invincible- Ok Go

9. Black Mamba (Teddybears Remix)- The Academy is...

10. I Write Sins, Not Tragedies- Panic! At the Disco

11. Born Normal- Dispatch

12. Queen of Apology (Patrick Stump Remix)- The Sounds

13. It Doesn't Matter- Alison Krauss and Union Station

14. Hanging by a Thread- Nickel Creek

15. Bang Bang My Baby Shot Me Down (Remix)- Audio Bullies

16. Stricken- Disturbed

17. Beg- Evan's Blue

18 . 9 Crimes- Damien Rice

19 .Blue and Grey- South FM

20. Speeding Cars- Imogen Heap

**Even though I'm bloody 21 years old now...still KOLU**


	14. Regency

**So here I go again, adding to LDTL:AID after years away. I feel like my life is whole again :)**

**I thought it might be interesting for people to know that this story formed the way I think about romance and until I find the Akago to my Gan, I will be completely and totally without love. Sigh...**

**Kouga's Number One Fan: HEY GIRL! Okay, so I only got your review when I was halfway done with this chapter; I totally see what you're saying, the OCs are taking over. It's exhausting. So, I tried to add a little more real character stuff and next chapter is going to be almost 100% real characters; I'm going to make it long enough that I get in a scene with all of the original Inuyasha couples!**

**Alas...we continue!**

**9191919**

_The Regency: a group of dances made popular during the 19th century in the English countryside. Characterized by the practice of serious personal restraint._

**9191919**

When Sesshomaru announced to the Southern cores that their presence was required at an early morning meeting, he found himself met with little outright resistance. There was only so much aggression you could direct at Sesshomaru Taisho before you found yourself on the receiving end of a terrifying death. But the underlying sense was one of dread: school was bad enough by itself but surprisingly lethal when combined with early mornings.

Bankotsu, Hiten and Jakotsu stumbled out of their sports car at 5:23 on that fateful Thursday morning, bracing their tender faces against the cold as they jogged towards the warehouse door. The winter had arrived full force and was currently berating the poor city of Tokyo with sub freezing temperatures, which met cruelly with strong ocean winds. Jakotsu squeaked pathetically and grabbed Hiten's coat hood to keep himself from blowing away on a stray gust; winter in Japan was truly awful.

There were several thing Bankotsu enjoyed, a small inclusion being football, cars and the smell of Mizumi's hair, but the sounds of vomiting was most certainly not in the mix. This is one particular reason why his entrance into the warehouse that morning was a poor one.

Despite the early hour, the strains of gritty rock bounced off the rafters of the cavernous warehouse, echoing faintly off the kitchen cabinets. The strains of human wretching provided a ghastly harmony and the three demons found themselves frozen in the doorway, both literally and figuratively, as they observed the scene before them. A dark head was buried in an empty oil barrel, throwing up heartily, while a hand stayed limply at it's side, cluthing a rusty wrench. A strong silence rang out before the invalid decided he'd had enough and raised his head.

Bankotsu snorted. Of course it was Miroku Houshi.

The pale faced boy seemed not to have noticed his demon visitors and shook himself thoroughly, as though trying to shake the sickness from his organs like splatter paint, before he leaned back inside the open hood of an aging RX-8 and began fiddling away with the engine.

Jakotsu snorted softly and glanced at Bankotsu, who shrugged enough to upset his long braid. He wasn't an authority on human illnesses and wasn't about to tell Miroku what he could or could not do.

Hiten exchanged looks with his friend before he approached Miroku, trying to make his subvertive demon footsteps loud enough to raise awareness. Miroku looked up at the sound of company and gave Hiten a watery smile, eyes drifting to the two newcomers behind him.

"Morning, Hi, Bank, Jak," he said in his usual friendly tone, sniffing loudly; his voice was dull and muted, as though he had two baby carrots shoved up his nostrils. Bankotsu winced; that certainly didn't sound pleasant.

"Hey buddy," Hiten began slowly, as though he were attempting to talk down a suicidal maniac from a cliff's edge. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Working," Miroku replied blithely, trying to sound lighter than he felt.

When he continued to wrench away, seemingly oblivious to the confusion around him, Bankotsu stepped forward to give his two cents.

"I thought you had the flu, Roku?" he asked tentatively, removing his gloves and shoving them in his pocket. It certainly was toasty inside the hangar.

The boy in question shrugged carelessly. "Eh, it's not so bad." He glanced up with pale violet eyes and muttered, "Anything's better than sitting in my house all day, know what I mean? I can't even have Sango over to visit. She might catch it."

Jakotsu snorted a second time. "And coming into work, touching all the tools, and throwing up in a barrel is preventing the epidemic I guess?" He batted skeptical glitter lashes in Miroku's direction, hip popped saucily to the side. Humans were so ignorant sometimes.

Miroku was momentarily distracted by Jakotsu's pink puff coat, complete with white leopard hood lining, before he internalized the insinuation. He glanced at the wrench in his hand and then at the car's mess of parts before swallowing nerously. "Oh. Crap." He could practically see his nasty flu germs crawling over the parts like a hoard of spiders. He'd infected the RX-8.

"Um...um..." Miroku turned this way and that, staring around the warehouse for a fix to his problem as the others watched in silent amusement. Finally, his eyes landed on a bottle of Lysol. "Hah!"

Miroku grabbed the bottle and began spritzing the car's inards, the tools, the door handles, the tables, and his shoes (for whatever reason.) The smell was at first heavenly and then rancid as flower scented cleaning solution permeated the warehouse air and Bankotsu grimaced; it was time to retreat to the kitchen. Jakotsu followed swiftly while Hiten bared the odor, hoping to calm Miroku enough to send him home.

"Okay, everything's clean," Hiten said with as much triumph as he could muster. "Why don't you go home and rest?"

Miroku's eyes grew far away for a moment as he imagined the pestering of his maids and the irritating German singing of his cook, Wolfgang, before he shook his head violently.

"No! I've been stuck there all week! No way" Miroku was feeling rather hazy and confused but decided that, no matter how terrifying Hiten's lightening power's were, he could probably take him. Yeah, what was demon strength compared to his superior human ingenuity? No fear!

"Miroku, what are you doing out of bed?"

Gan's voice was enough to scare Miroku into his coat and out the warehouse door in about three seconds flat, something which amused Hiten to tears.

Gan and Akago had risen only slightly earlier than usual, gathering Halloween and James for the early morning core meeting in earnest. They were met with no resistance, something for which they considered themselves very fortunate; the Sharks were easily the most well mannered group of young men in the Tokyo gangs. Thinking about it made Akago feel like a proud parent and he smiled fondly.

The great white haired genius glanced to his left as Gan tried valiantly to look comfortable despite her lack of coat; he'd offered her his own, which she stoutly declined. Gan had once owned a coat, but it had disappeared in the past year for whatever reason and she was now left to brave the cold with just her skin. The blonde set her jaw determinedly, as though she could tell what Akago was thinking and not the other way around; she refused to give in.

"Aren't you cold, Kijo?" Halloween asked curiously, picking up on the present vibrations easily. He was sometimes surprisingly astute, something which caused James to snort. Never when it counted.

Gan looked up at the lanky demon's questioning orange eyes, twinkling like two great suns, before she finally stuttered out, "I'm n-not c-c-cold, Halloween, I just have that kind of c-countenance."

Akago practically guffawed, pushing his glasses aristocratically up to the bridge of his nose. "Yes, of course, she's doing quite fine Halloween. Her excess pride keeps her warm in want of a jacket."

Gan scowled, pretty violet eyes glittering madly. She shot Akago a warning glance as they proceeded around the numerous car carcasses towards the kitchen area. "Yes, that's right, and Akago's finds himself warmed by excess lard, in both his gut and his head. We all have ways of beating the cold."

Akago actually frowned at this, working his way around her words before he murmured in a stunned reply, "Did you just call me fat?'

Gan smirked triumphantly, eyes narrowing smugly as she replied, "If that's how you take it."

James snorted and plopped down next to Jakotsu, who looked likewise unamused. Hiten and Bankotsu were listening to the argument in rapt attention, finding the intellectual fight quite fascinating; if not for the fat joke, it was like watching to dukes fight over a tract of land.

Akago looked down at his midriff, quickly shedding his coat and poking his midsection. He glared up at Gan as he knocked on his own abdomen imperiously. "You call this fat?"

Gan choked back laughter, hoping to keep her ruse going as long as possible. "I wouldn't call you a model, no."

Akago's red eyes transformed into mere slits as he lifted up his shirt tail, revealing an ivory white six pack akin to those gracing statues in the louvre. Gan gulped as she found herself reminded of Akago's adonis-like qualities; she should never have started this argument. Now he might just take off his shirt, which would render her speechless with awe no doubt.

"What part of this is fat?" Akago demanded, looking for all the world as though he were insulted beyond belief. Bankotsu, however, was quick enough to notice the barely visible twitching of the demon's mouth corner. _Oh, what an asshole; he's just showing off his muscles! And here I thought he was some sort of aristocrat in a 'courtly romance.' Well, I'm all for furthering their love affair and all, but this calls for some friendly competition._

Bankotsu stood brusquely, lifting up his own shirt to reveal a stunning set of tan muscles the color of caramel. Their definition was impressive and practiced; even Akago had to glare at them enviously, his own quite forgotten.

"Yep, definitely not fat, Gan. If he's fat, so am I," Bankotsu said stiffly, obviously joking but still rendering Gan spluttering.

The blonde grew quickly red, cheeks a lovely cherry color as her violet eyes sought anywhere but the two naked stomachs. "Um...well, that is..."

Hiten rose to get in on the joke, revealing a nice six pack all his own. "Yup, guess I'm a fat ass too."

Gan covered her face with two lily white hands, trying not to peek through her fingers at the tantalizing sight as the three boys continued to comment comically on their muscles, occasionally reaching over the poke each other jokingly. The door to the warehouse opened to reveal the Taishos, all three of whom looked pleasantly invigorated by the winter weather; dogs were, after all, quite fond of the changing in seasons.

Shitora rose her eyebrows at the sight before them; it looked as though Bankotsu, Hiten and Akago were trying to embarass Gan with the sight of their abs and succeeding mightily.

"What the hell," the small girl muttered, snow white eyebrows disappearing into her hair as her ears twirled like satellites, trying to catch the barest hint of an explanation from the kitchen.

Inuyash observed the scene as well, cocking his head to the side. "Feh. Bunch of gays if you ask me."

Sesshomaru shrugged elegantly out of his black peat coat and draped it over a chair, adjusting his school tie officiously as he addressed the crowd in the couch area. "What exactly is going on, might I ask?"

"Oh, Gan called me fat and we're trying to see who's the fattest," Akago replied easily, giving his friends the scantest wink before returning his attention to Gan. "Did you find any fat yet?"

Inuyasha picked up quickly on the joke and joined the line, lifting up his own shirt and rubbing his defined stomach eagerly. "Oh yeah, I'm pretty fat. See all that fat? It's like Chris Farley in a school uniform, it's awful."

The other three boys gave mock murmurs of agreement, shaking their heads comically, as Gan felt her face grow even hotter. She turned her back on the sight of them and attempted to cool her face with her stinging cold wrists but to no avail. For some reason, the sight of stomachs in the winter time made her unbelivably embarrassed. At least in the summer, boys started out shirtless. There was something so intimate about the removal of clothing that it tied up her tongue in knots. Groaning slightly, the blonde shook her head to clear it.

"You're quite right Gan, I see that they're all quite fat," Sesshomaru agreed, crossing his arms judiciously as he joined in on the fun. The great dog demon was not one for naked antics, though he would certainly aid Akago in berating the poor Shark's second. Her serious nature made it delightful to mess with her.

"That's not what I meant..." Gan began helplessly, voice frazzled and cracking.

"Oh, no?" Akago asked innocently, crimson eyes dancing. "Because she definitely called me fat Sesshomaru, I was devestated. I might need therapy to repair the emotional damage."

Kagome, Rin and the Kyoto Jackrabbits trickled in next, observing the scene before them with a mixture of confusion and delight. "What in the world...?" Kagome murmured with a growing smile, throwing her hood back as she watched her boyfriend patting his belly comically.

"Ab contest?" Rin asked curiously as the discarded their coats in the growing pile.

"Well, if so, don't leave me out!" Skull cried happily, highlighter yellow hair bouncing as he jogged up to join the party. Gan turned around just in time to see the Jackrabbit reveal perhaps the most impressive muscles yet. "Surfing'll fix you right up, lads!" he declared, baring his naked abdomen proudly.

"Let Gan be the judge," Bankotsu insisted, jerking his head in her direction. "Whadya think Gan?"

The blonde attempted to control her embarassment, clearing her throat officiously and crossing her arms below her bust line, smirking quietly to herself as she saw Akago's mouth grow slack; she was quite aware as to the location of his gaze. "Well, Skull is winning, that's for sure," she announced, gesturing to the blonde's washboard stomach.

"Wicked," he grinned, fangs showing as Bones joined him, shaking his head in despair. Skull looked to his partner in crime and invited eagerly, "Come on, Bones, show the goods now!"

Bones glanced at Akago, who winked broadly at the redhead before looking at Gan. Bones followed the Shark's glance to the flustered blonde, who was attempting a regal posture whilst her mouth wobbled pitifully. She was clearly unused to looking at men in such a sexual manner. And the Jackrabbits were always ready for a good tease.

"Well, Gan, the winner is right here," Bones anounced heroically, cherry bomb hair standing tall as he threw out a triumphant arm. "Behold!" Bones revealed his own thin stomach, which bore absolutely not fat and no visible abdomen muscles.

Gan blinked at the sight. "Bones, you're positively skeletal!" she exclaimed, aghast at the sight. The lines were defined but almost feminine, curving delicately around his nicely stretched belly button.

"That is a serious woman stomach, Bones," Inuyasha agreed, face screwing up confusedly.

"I am not ashamed!" Bones declared, ripping off his shirt in its entirety and strutting boldly about the circle. "This is a thing of pride!" His long legs rose and fell with the precision of a soldier as Skull gave him a wild cheer.

Shitora had begun to understand the goings on and gave a stern look to Kagome and Rin, who nodded stiffly; they had a duty to their fellow woman. The three girls flanked Gan on all sides and placed their hands supportively on her shoulders.

"You're all pathetic," Kagome declared strongly. "Not exactly pick of the litter, is it Rin?"

"Definitely not," the Wildcats leader agreed, shaking her head with mock despair. "It's a pity Gan has no attractive guys to choose from."

"Yeah," Shitora agreed, narrowing her amber eyes sadly. "Serious shame."

The boys pretended to be outraged, blustering about their fortitude and gesturing to their still naked stomachs. This is when Sango and Ayame arrived with the Ookami boys in tow, all four of them appearing tired at first and then invigorated by the strange sight that met them.

"What the hell?" Sango muttered aloud, eyebrow cocked as she stared at the goings on in the lounge.

"Aren't they pitiful, girls? Not a muscle to be seen. Poor Gan will never be able to pick a winner from this lot," Kagome continued, frowning at her newly arrived girlfriends as they joined the other three at Gan's side.

"Got to agree, it's just sad," Ayame laughed, emeral eyes sparkling as she found her spirits higher than they'd been in days.

Kouga snorted and marched up to join the men, announcing, "Sad? These are South Tokyo abs! There are none better!" He lifted up his shirt with the strength of a champion and found himself echoed by a hearty cheer from the other boys. Many leaned over to slap his hands and bump fists as the girls rolled their eyes.

Ranbou rubbed his eyes sleepily as he shoved his hands in his jacket pockets, still a little confused about it all; he was groggy from a late night on the town, performing assassinations he knew would soon be split with the new core. Her surmised that was the whole point of this meeting, though he'd been avoiding Sesshomaru since their awkward discussion in the locker room. He knew the Fang leader was techincally his superior, but he tended to stray from thoughts concerning the matter; Ranbou was no one's underling.

"And what about your abs, sir?" Shitora asked loudly, breaking Ranbou out of his stupor.

The wolf demon blinked his ice blue eys curiously. "Er, what?"

"Let's see 'em, Ran, we have to make an informed decision," Kagome goaded, gesturing in his direction.

Still confused, Ranbou glanced down and lifted his shirt tails sleepily, revealing the most perfect set of muscles ever crafted by the Lord. The others gasped and murmured incredulously at the sculpting of his not six, but eight pack; right down to the crevices of his hip bones, Ranbou was built like God himself. Shitora found herself drooling slightly at the sight of his perfect coffee skin, but attempted to roll her tongue back up inside her mouth; now was, unfortunately, not the time or place.

"I mean...we walked around shirtless all summer and it's still a fucking miracle that he looks like that!" Inuyasha exclaimed, pointing to Ranbou's abdomen with one clawed finger. "How the hell?"

"It's called working out," Ranbou joked gruffly. "Try it some time."

The other chuckled and Gan found herself finally done with her terrible task. "Ranbou wins. Sorry gentlemen."

The men allowed their shirtails to fall as they murmured things like, "No offense taken," and "Have to agree on this one." Sesshomaru smiled at the sight of his friends heaving such fun in these hard times, shaking himself back into reality as the other made their way to their seats and he moved to address the room.

Eyes quickly lost their humor and many shook themselves physically to renounce the comical edge in the air. It was time for a core discussion and this called for a serious nature. Gan took a seat beside Akago, who smiled reassuringly at her, all laughing gone from his smile as he turned his attention to the great Fang leader. Gan took his cue and turned her violet eyes to Sesshomaru, who looked older than his 18 years as he placed his hands placidly in his trouser pockets and began.

"As many of you know, we've tidied up many loose ends from the summer's altercations with Naraku Onigumo, but there are still many issues waiting to be resolved. Ranbou and I compiled a list of those remaining Spiders and assorted allies who needed to be exterminated in August, but it's come to my attention that, of those 139 names, Ranbou could not be expected to do away with each and every one of them. I also regret not including the other leaders in our decisions, as they included life and death and that is certainly not a job for just two men. So, in light of this, I've decided to create a second assisination core."

The others exchanged glances at Sesshomaru's words, muttering to each other as the dog demon waited for the fervor to settle. Ranbou continued to stare at his hands, folded surreptitiously in his lap, as Shitora shot him a questioning glance from the opposite couch. He refused to meet her eyes and the girl furrowed her brow, taking in the tightness in his shoulders and tired glint in his eyes. What was all this about?

"I've created a list here," Sesshomaru said loudly, raising his voice above the mild commotion and bringing the volume level back to a minimum. "It has on it ten names. They are to be members of the new core, unless they are violently opposed to the idea. I chose them carefully and assume that they will, in fact, be pleased. Here we go."

Sesshomaru paused momentarily before retrieving his glasses from his shirt pocket. "Excuse me, allow me to don my old man spectacles." This lightened the air in the room slightly and elicited chuckles from a few, though most remained tightly trained on the paper in Sesshomaru's hand, wondering if their names were on it. The dog demon read the list aloud.

"In the soldier core I have Kouga and Kina Ookami, Mad Max, Axle and Sango Tajiya. Serving as assassins, I have Halloween and Gan Kiretsu. As muscle, I have the Macharyas twins. The core will be lead and commandeered by Shitora Taisho. Any questions?"

There was a short silence, during which aghast stared were thrown coldly in Sesshomaru's direction, before the uproar began.

"How the hell did you pick _them_ out of everyone else?" Inuyasha demanded, claws chinking distinctively in his rage. "I'm as good a fighter as wolf breath, over there!"

Kouga scowled and picked at his ear wax boredly. "Save the drama for your mama, mutt," he growled arrogantly. He certainly wasn't going to question his leader and best friend's decisions, however much he disliked them.

"And why'd you putt Kina in there instead of Koto?" Skull demanded, trying to keep his voice civil but still shaking at the idea of his beloved girlfriend in danger. Bones, however, was quite pleased to hear that Kotone's name was absent; he knew well enough that despite her skills, the beautiful wolf demoness would be unable to scream should she find herself in trouble on the streets. She was unfit for such a job and he thanked Kami for Sesshomaru's forsight.

"Never mind that, why are there no Cobras on the list?" Hiten jumped in, pointing an accusatory finger at Sesshomaru. His red eyes were alive with rage, which he was partially manufacturing if only on Bankotsu's behalf. He knew his leader would never raise his voice in protest, despite the fact that his ego was smarting rightly. The Cobras always seemed to be forgotten.

"I'm sure Sesshomaru had a reason for his decisions," Rin said reasonably, hoping to assuage the damaged nerves in the room.

"Well you're his girlfriend, love, you're biased and blind to reason," Skull snorted, crossing his tanned arms across his chest as he leaned back into the couch; he was quite irritated by all of this.

"That doesn't mean I don't have a level head, I'm a leader just like you," Rin snarled indignantly, remembering the numerous times when other leaders didn't take her seriously because of her gender.

"She's right, that's not fair Tobi," Kagome agreed, giving Skull a disapproving glare with her normally warm brown eyes.

"_That's _not fair? I'll tell you what wasn't fair, not asking our permission first before you put our elite members on this list," Ayame entered, cheeks as red as her hair with rage. "Fennella is already highly destructive, this will just make her worse!"

"Lysander will keep her in check, I'm sure," Akago said peaceably, hoping to bring this fight to a halt before it escalated.

His comment only caused the redheaded wolf demon to snort derisively, however. "Oh please, Lysander's a surf bum with no motivation whatsoever, he'll just let her run around like a machine gun without the safety!"

"And what's wrong with being a surf bum, might I ask?" Skull challenged, normally light blue eyes a simmering royal blue.

Gang members jumped from their seats and began shouting loudly at Sesshomaru and one another, arms flailing and fangs bared. Kagome simply sighed and glanced over at Ranbou, who had yet to raise his gaze from the ground as his claws twiddled away; he looked exhausted by the very idea of all this.

Shitora, on the other hands, was staring wide eyed and opened mouthed at her magnificent brother, her silver head quivering with surprise and what appeared to be a mixture of fear and anticipation. She was clutching her tan knees fiercely, though she wasn't sure if it was due to her inability to steady her vibrating body or make sure her legs were still sitting and not sprinting out the door. Never before had Sesshomaru given her such an important job, though she hardly thought this was the time for a responsibility such as this. Hesitating a glance at her statuesque boyfriend, Shitora's breath quickened; she remembered how compromised their fighting had been during the takeover, what with the pair constantly looking over their shoulders. What if she failed miserably and brought shame to her family? What if her actions put others in danger, even perhaps Ranbou? What if she got him hurt?

Screams of rage and irritation deflected off the rafters and bounced around the room, creating a veritable vortex of hate around the small lounge area. Sesshomaru's face remained unchanging during the entire fiasco until he finally shouted, "QUIET!"

The others stared at him with a mixture of fear and dislike, obviously displeased with his choices. As they quelled under his calm amber eye, the others finally retook their seats, deciding it was best to remain collected than lose a limb to the famed Sesshomaru Taisho's unpredictable wrath.

"I'll explain myself," the dog demon implored as though speaking to a preschool, "but only if you all just sit down and use your indoor voices like rational adults." He attempted to avoid a patronizing tone but realized, with the arrival of many annoyed glares, that he'd failed. Sighing, Sesshomaru ran a restless hand through his magnificent silver mane and breathed out, "I have a reason for everything I do, this list included. I'll go one by one. First of all, Kouga and Kina are both very quick and strong. Despite the fact that Kinanme occasionally loses her head to anger, she will not hesitate to kill; this could be instrumental in the operation of this core. Inuyasha, you are a good fighter in your own right but Kouga is much faster; quickness could be everything where assassinations are concerned."

Inuyasha snorted and crossed his arms moodily, seeming to accept the explanation as readily as he could. Kouga narrowed his eyes but nodded slightly, knowing that Sesshomaru's choice was not one of favoritism but of trust; he would do his friend proud.

The Fang leaded continue. "Max and Axle have seen their fair share of fights and have operated together for many years; I feel as though their close friendship will bring to this core what Hakkaku and Ginta have brought to the Reikon core: stability. Max's subsequent ability to detect bombs and Axle's level-headedness make them prime candidates for the job." The others nodded; no one questioned the two Jackrabbits' abilities.

"Sango is, in my personal opinion, one of the only human in our ranks strong enough to bring something to this team. That is no a slight to the race, but a commendation to her; she is swift, quiet and sure. She is also very anticipatory, something that will aid the core the world over. I know Shitora will make use of her when planning these excursions." When Sesshomaru turned his eyes to Shitora, who was still staring dumbly at him, she managed to shut her mouth and nod an affirmation, one which hopefully looked more steady than it felt.

"Halloween and Gan are the most obvious candidates for assassins, as I'm sure you all know. Gan has proven herself time and time again, not only in shooting but in planning and physical endurance and strength. Halloween..." The Fang leader trailed off and turned to observe the orange eyed demon, who was smiling thinly at him. The wisps of black hair falling cutely about his face seemed to shift slightly as a glint appeared in his gaze; he was imagining the kill. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and continued. "Halloween, suffice it to say, has many skills."

"Now, the Macharyas twins, as you all know, are lion demons, making them the strongest among us." Though a few made as thought to protest, Sesshomaru held up a pacifying hand and said sharply, "I once saw Lysander lift an entire school bus by himself. Can any of you achieve that?" When there was silence, Sesshomaru continued. "I thought not. He and Fennella are impressively strong, as well as symbiotic; they will know what the other is about to do before they even think it. My hope is that the chemistry inside this group will carry it half of the way with Shitora's leadership controlling the other half. That brings me to the leader."

Sesshomaru turned his gaze on Shitora, who found herself suddenly scrutinized by several pairs of eyes. Many looked encouraging though others looked skeptical; she found, much to her irritation and dismay, that Inuyasha was giving her a disbeliving look. She wasn't sure if it was his jealousy or true doubt driving it, but it made her slightly angry...almost as angry as the fact that Ranbou couldn't seem to look up from the floor. Didn't he have any say in all of this? When she returned her amber eyes to Sesshomaru's, she suddenly realized that Ranbou probably had no control over this situation whatsoever; Sesshomaru had taken it completely in his hands, if only to keep Ranbou from assassinating the whole city in a month's time. He would do what had to be done.

Sesshomaru's gaze softened ever so slightly as he witness Shitora's thoughts reflecting in her eyes. "I know Shitora to be a very capable and intelligent young woman. She posseses the perfect mixture of stealth, strength and precision when it comes to fighting and technique. She is also an excellent leader, as she has proven in many capacities, both inside and outside the cores. She has also shown great discretion when it comes to private matters, perhaps the greatest asset of all: the ten of you are to speak to no one outside this room about your goings on. I'm sure that was made clear by the nature of this assignment."

Those present nodded their heads, many meeting Sesshomaru's eyes while others looked down at their hands or feet as they concentrated on the task ahead. The dog demon seemed satisfied and turned to Ranbou, who seemed to feel the gaze before it landed on him. The wolf demon looked up at his leader, ice blue and amber clashing almost violently. Sesshomaru knew the wolf demon couldn't be happy about this turn of events but knew it was necessary, if only to keep him in check. This was about the limitations of one man and the necessity of many others.

"Ranbou and his elite will, of course, be instrumental in the training of the new core. I hope to have you all on the streets in a week's time. I expect that the five new core members not present will be notified by the end of the day, either by their leaders or by one of the others in their team, is that clear?" Everyone nodded dumbly, most refusing to meet the dog demon's steely gaze; though he opened the floor for discussion, they knew it was ultimately his decision. He was, essentially, the Fang Lord. Rin frowned as this thought entered her mind. That was certainly not the way he was supposed to act, however readily the others were accepting it. How could you raise a question when your leader could not be opposed?

"Everyone is dismissed to work. The core will meet in the warehouse every evening at 7 to prepare," Sesshomaru said with an air of finality, removing his glasses and turning to approach the kitchen table; he had papers to deal with.

The others watched him go, murmuring quietly to themselves and each other, as Sesshomaru's silver hair undulated powerfully behind his wide shoulders. His decision was final, it seemed. The gang members scattered to different parts of the warehouse to resume their mechanical and administrative work, though the air was not light like other mornings; it was heavy with thoughts, fears and resentment. The latter was abundant in quantity.

Kagome handed Inuyasha a screwdriver as he threw himself into his work, blindly scrapping away at a Ford Bronco that had arrived the day previously. His amber eyes were unfocused as he wrenched and tore away at the metal, jaw tight and angular. Kagome could tell he was not only furious, but hurt by his brother's neglect. Sesshomaru had made it perfectly clear that he'd chosen Kouga for speed, but Kagome knew his choice had been badly misconstrued by his brother. Inuyasha always felt like second best in his sickeningly perfect family.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kagome asked quietly, crouching down as Inuyasha began sliding himself underneath the car's chassis.

Inuyasha grunted slightly staring at the dull undercarriage before he replied, "Not much to talk about, it's the story of my fucking life. Sesshomaru passing me over for things I deserve."

Kagome winced slightly; so he was going to play it cold. Deciding it was best to play to his sympathies, she said quietly, "Well, I'm sort of glad he didn't pick you. It's bad enough with you gone every Thursday night...I would hate to have you gone every night, getting shot at and stuff. I mean...I know it's part of the lifestyle and everything, but I wouldn't want you, you know, hurt." Though she'd originally been aiming to use this as a tool for turning Inuyasha's attitude around, Kagome found how deeply she believed her own words as she said them. When she finished, she could almost feel the tears creeping up in her wide brown eyes; she'd certainly fallen hard and fast, that was for sure.

Inuyasha paused and rolled out from underneath the car, watching as Kagome composed herself quickly and turned away from him, brushing a dismissive hand across her face. He could smell the barest hint of salt: oncoming tears. She'd quelled them well enough, but his face softened all the same. He could feel the edge whittling from his own anger quickly and he sighed, sitting up and reaching for his girlfriend's hunched form.

"Hey Kags, don't cry. I mean, I won't be out there anyway." _No matter how much I wanna be._

Kagome snorted with laughter, trying to ignore the pain in her throat. "Yeah, I know, I'm just really tired and stupid." She turned back around to face Inuyasha and smiled strongly. "It's fine. Really."

The hanyou smiled at her, his small fangs provoking an honest smile from her own mouth. He moved towards her, trying to ignore the fact that this moment was taking place on the warehouse floor, and reached up to brush a strand of black hair behind her ear. "I'm not going anywhere, alright?" he asked, gazing expectantly at her as he cupped her cheek.

Kagome closed her eyes and leaned into his palm, breathing a quiet "Okay," as she covered his hand with her own. His skin was still warm despite the chill outside and she smiled. He might just be hot with anger. Who knew.

Nearer to the front of the warehouse, Akago had rolled up his sleeves and set to work on a discarded Hum-V, not usually prone to work on cars now that his duties lay elsewhere but suddenly hoping to focus on anything but his thoughts. Gan watched as the white haired boy tied up his hair and set to work, muscular shoulders broad over the expanse of the machines insides. Halloween had seen his Toumoku setting himself into one of his moods and disappeared back into the kitchens, hoping there were enough ingredients to cook up something peacefully. This left Gan to observe her leader and close friend, perhaps more, dallying away in attempts to outrun his mind.

The blonde sighed and tucked her hair restlessly behind her ear, violet eyes wide and irritable. After a few moments of silence, broken only by the clanging of metal inside the Hum-V, Gan spoke up.

"Akago, talk to me."

With a sigh of his own, Akago bent out from under the machine, a smudge of grease already staining his bicep. He turned to face Gan with his own bloody crimson stare, trying to keep the pain and worry from his eyes as he asked plantively, "Is something wrong, Gan? I'd like to contribute to the work load, if I can."

Gan frowned and grabbed the wrench from Akago's hand, tossing it carelessly to the ground. "I won't let you distract yourself so ridiculously. It's exhausting for me."

The two Sharks stared at each other, Akago hoping that his superior height would deter Gan at least for now. Instead of allowing his stature to threaten her, Gan actually took a step closer to her leader, eyes narrowed strongly. They endured a brief stare down, during which Akago lost his edge and accidentally fell right into her stare; it was like drowning in an ocean of lavender, the most wonderful, peacefuly death he could've ever imagined. Gan's eyes softened almost immediately as Akago unwittingly lost control of his emotions and she saw him for what he really was: a fearful friend.

"Akago...what's really going on?"

The demon stared down at Gan, who's bottom lip was trembling ever so slightly as it tended to do when she was confused. Confusion wasn't a common feeling for Gan the Gun and Akago surmised it made her rather pouty. For the time being, Gan was staring up at him with wide violet eyes as her beautiful little face contorted with confusion and the slightest bit of sadness. He felt guilt consume him as he wondered if he'd put that unhappiness there and he sighed, running a lily white hand over his eyes.

"I'm sorry Gan, I just..." he trailed off for a moment, wondering how best to explain the current situation in his tangled mind. He leaned back against the door of the Hum-V, eyes distant as he finally tore them away from her. "I suppose I never imagined a time or place when I wouldn't be with you to protect you. I know that sounds masogynistic and a whole assortment of other things you hate, but I like protecting you and, despite the fact that you're entirely capable on your own, I hate to think of you out there...in such danger."

Gan's eyes quivered as her mouth steadied and she felt her throat tighten painfully. Though she would normally find his overprotectiveness smothering and unnecessary, she suddenly found it to be a most beautiful sound. Feeling suddenly small, she stepped towards him and attempted a smile, which failed pathetically.

"No need to worry, I'm sure. I'll have a whole host of people there to make sure I don't waste away. The lioness will be there and, assuming we don't kill each other first, I'm sure we'll be able to keep _others _from killing us."

Akago smiled slightly despite himself, knowing Gan was using her wit to cheer him, which of course it did.

"I'd rather you not deal with killing at all. Killing is the devil's business and I wish he'd stay away from South Tokyo," Akago mused darkly, glancing down at the floor as hate collected in his eyes. He was world worn at this point, embittered by years of being ruthless and hard. He'd never been the cold hearted murderer he'd been made out to be and it was beginning to hit him: he wasn't cut out for this life anymore.

Gan seemed to sense the feelings gathering inside him and daringly put a hand on his shoulder. "Akago, don't sink into one of your funks because sometimes I don't know how to pull you out. Don't retreat so far inside your mind that I can't find you again."

Akago glanced up at his beloved Gan, perfect in every way, her hand hot even through his shirt; she was magnificent, looking all emboldened as she stood up to him. He smiled lightly and reached out, surprising her as he cupped her left cheek and brushed a thumb lightly across her skin.

"You, of all people, know all of my hiding places, Gan."

His touch rendered her speechless and she stared back him, amazed at how cool his touch was; this was one of the most intimate physical moments they'd ever shared and, despite the sheer innocence of a hand on the cheek, Gan could practically feel her resolve draining out of her fingertips. She was just reaching forward to touch him in return when a loud bang interrupted the moment.

The warehouse door had swung mightily open as other gang members began arriving for morning shifts, talking noisily and yawning over their early start. Akago's hand dropped and Gan sighed, almost laughing as Akago shot the crowd his most terrible of glares. They didn't seem to notice, however, and continued on their merry way, greeting leaders and dropping jackets on the couches.

"I made biscuits!" Halloween announced as he arrived at their side, clasping his artistically long hands together with joy as he flounced about.

Akago laughed at the happy demon, massaging the bridge of his nose as he turned to Gan and said resolvedly, "Biscuits it is."

"Sounds delicious," Gan allowed, smiling in return as the trio trooped towards the kitchen.

Ranbou had contented himself with working on the Ducati, which still wasn't running quite right; Race Wars had certainly done a number on their bikes that year. He mostly focused on busy work, lest Shitora try to get a coherent word out of him, which he most likely couldn't provide. Despite what he'd predicted, Shitora had disappeared under the hood of a Honda Accord twenty minutes prior and not returned since. He could see her strong dancer's muscles bulging as she stood on her tip toes to reach something in the upper reaches of the car's mechanical mess, though her face remained buried. He sighed; this was all just one big train wreck.

As the regular members began to pour in, Ranbou kept a careful watch for two very special redheads, the both of which were about to learn their fates from his very mouth. When he caught sight of the Macharyas twins entering in their winter coats, talking quietly to each other, he dropped what he was doing and hurried forward, hoping he'd catch them first; this wasn't news he wanted delivered by someone else.

Lysander and Fennella could tell by the wolf demon's face that something was amiss.

Shitora paused in her work and watched as Ranbou began talking quickly and sternly to the twins, who regarded him levelly up to a certain point. When Fennella's mouth dropped, Shitora knew the news had been delivered. She couldn't say she was entirely pleased to be working with the lioness, whom she personally disliked, but all things considered the team could've been worse. At least in this case she could actually order Fenella around. The hanyou smiled craftily, fangs glittering; this might turn out to be fun after all.

Tobi Skull and Benkan Bones were currently trying to tell Mad Max and Axle of their new assignment in the most delicate way possible. Throughout the whole delivery, which Skull tried to let Bones handle as much as possible, the two soldiers' faces grew steadily darker. Axle's tan skin stretched slightly as he frowned, trying to take in the severity of the situation and responsibility with the proper level of respect. Max, however, looked completely unwilling; his gnarled face screwed up in a dangeorus scowl and remained there for most of the session until he finally held up his scarred hands to Bones, who stopped abruptly.

"Wait just a fucking minute," Max snarled, eyes narrowed to slits. "You're saying I'm sort of fucking soldier for a fucking core made up of members in gangs I don't even fucking belong to?"

Skull and Bones exchanged glances, realizing they hadn't actually thought of that; they'd been allowing their allegiance to the Southern gangs draw them in to a point where they actually felt like members. But it was easy to forget that they had no real ties to Sesshomaru where business was concerned. They were simply friends who happened to be in a gang and offered to hang out. Sure, Sesshomaru's name alone offered them protection in a city where many were unlikely to accept Kyotoites peacefully, but they weren't exactly his underlings, were they?

"Are you saying you wouldn't enjoy this?" Bones asked directly, eyes boring holes into Max's distressed skull.

Max was about to answer the question with a rude reply when Axle interrupted him, yellow eyes almost murderous. "Of course he wouldn't. Neither of us would because it's sick. Killing is sick and unnecessary. It's presumptuous of Sesshomaru to set us out to kill men we have no grudge against."

But Max disagreed. "Oy, you idiot, we have plenty of fucking grudge! I don't fucking transform for any Joe Shit waltzing down the fucking street and they made me! Maybe you don't remember the fucking warehouse incident but I do. I'd fucking kill them all, just not on someone else's fucking time." Max looked convicted by his own words, which he spoke quickly and angrily.

Axle had, of course, not forgotten the final battle during the war; he and Max, along with many friends from the Southern cores, had been forced into demon transformations by Naraku and his cronies. While Skull and Bones had been thankfully unconscious for the situation, neither Max nor Axle had forgotten the total helplessness which accompanied the awful incident. If it hadn't been for Sesshomaru's superior strength, who knew what sort of atrocities they could've committed?

Sighing heavily, Axle ran a restless hand over his sky blue dreadlocks and thought quietly to himself; he wasn't much of a killer and never had been. He was a peaceable sort of man who preferred to keep to himself and his friends. He didn't participate in fights unless it was absolutely necessary. Was this becoming one of those times?

At this moment, he and Kagome met eyes across the warehouse and she smiled happily, waving blithely at him as she handed Inuyasha a wrench. At the sight of her wide grin and innocent brown eyes, Axle melted slightly; the reasons for that awful war were all coming back to him. Just the idea of Kagome strung up on a cross in her underwear set his teeth to a strict growl. Those men had done wrong and those who hadn't paid should do it soon and in full. Hurting someone like Kagome was unforgivable.

"I'm doing it, Max, and I suggest you come along. You know I can't fight worth a shit without you," Axle said finally, giving his best friend a significant look.

Max stared back at Axle's calm yellow gaze with a heated one of his own, finally throwing up his lithe limbs pitifully. "Oh, what the fuck ever. Who cares. At least it's something to fucking do, ay?"

Kina and Koto Ookami arrived at the warehouse late, Kina looked blearily around and Koto happily waving to Bones as she entered. At the sight of his wolf goddess, Bones smiled broadly and waved in return, muttering to Skull out of the corner of his mouth as he did so.

"Be as unbiased as possible when you tell Kina. And don't be an ass."

Skull snorted and crossed his arms moodily, feeling uncomfortable in his school uniform; he'd never been one much for uniformity anyway. Kina snorted at him when she arrived, ice blue eyes still like a frozen pond in winter.

"You look about as jazzed as I feel," she muttered, giving him a slight bump to the chest with her fist.

Chuckling darkly, Skull replied, "You have no idea, love. Get a load of this. We had this meeting this morning..."

Sesshomaru was organizing papers distractedly, trying to ignore the death glares floating his way ever so often, when a piercing yell broke the air.

"FUCK YEAHHH!"

The great dog demon glanced up at the scene over his spectacles, taking in the sight of Kinanme Ookami as she jumped up and down, large chest bouncing rhythmically along with her. She was grinning and pumping her fists, the subject of many odd stares as she did so, though Sesshomaru could only smile.

"At least someone's excited about their assignment," he murmured aloud, causing Rin to chuckle.

"Well you can't blame them, Koi. Think about it: you made a list of names and told them to go kill people. That's not exactly something you should be deciding on your own, I don't think," the girl mused, doll features pursed as she signed off on an inspection renewal.

Sesshomaru paused and removed his spectacles, turning to stare at her. He hadn't expected resistance from her, of all people, but that was Rin's gentle way of telling him he'd made a mistake. She never simply stood there and told him "you screwed up." She laid it all out in a reasonable fashion and normally had him agreeing. He was currently trying to find the conviction he'd mislaid somewhere; it was absolutely necessary should he want to retain control of his gang.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, all of us can't agree on one thing together, so I simply made the decision myself. Besides, I have the authority to do so," Sesshomaru replied imperiously, replacing his spectacles on his nose as he tried to calculate a sum in his head.

Rin only sighed, tapping papers on the desk as she shuffled them into a straight pile. "I think that's the problem, Sesshomaru; you think you have the authority to do things you really have no business doing. Just because the laws you laid out say you can do something doesn't mean you should. I think the nasty stares your getting should tell you something about the choices you've made, hm?"

And with that, little Rin Takeyama took her papers to the filing cabinet and began refiling them in the proper folders, completely ignoring Sesshomaru's gaping stare. Rin rarely told him off and this was about as close as she came to doing so in a civil tone. Anything past this would most likely end in a physical altercation, meaning one where she hit him and he stood there like an idiot. The dog demon sighed, massaging his temples wearily. This job was going to turn his hair gray...except for the fact that silver was already close enough.

_Good. No one will be able to tell that the Fang leader is an old man._

Shitora watched her brother sink his head in his hands for the merest moment before he was back in top form, sigining papers like a regal monarch. She sighed slightly, rubbing a hand across her forehead; she was already disgusting from working on the car and would most likely feel disgusting for the remainder of the day. She just wanted to get to dance and twirl away her fears, if nothing else. The hanyou's thoughts bounced this way and that, never settling on one thing for more than a moment; she was desperately trying not to think of anything pertaining to the assassination core she was now heading, nor the organizational effort it would take, nor the time, nor the mental fortitude.

For now, she would simply content herself by staring at Ranbou, who was leaning handsomely against a truck door as he spoke with his best friend. She smiled softly; if the ab contest had proved anything, it was that her boyfriend was the hottest. Her grin grew toothy; at least she was winning in that respect.

Worry consumed her again as she realized that they would soon be fighting back to back on the battlefield. Certainly she hoped that few fights would ensue; assassinations were theoretically supposed to be quick and one sided, though she knew from experience that they didn't always turn out that way. Ranbou had the scars to prove it.

_I'll just put on the tough Taisho face and get the job done. If I distract myself and everyone else long enough, maybe I can draw attention away from the fact that I'm actually scared shitless by all of this. Yeah. That's safe, right? Right._

The hanyou girl began to hum as she continued her work, blissfully unaware of the ice blue stare that had finally found its way to smiling face. Ranbou couldn't believe how blithe she looked; maybe she really _could _handle this after all. Maybe that made him the unprofessional one, come to think of it. He watched her work for a moment, admiring the curve of her lips and the beautiful height of her cheek bones. Her eyes were currently the placid color of warm honey and he felt enveloped by them, even from afar. It was only when he blinked and imagined her white face covered in rivulets of scarlet blood that his innocent dream was shattered.

The wolf blinked hurriedly, trying to dispel the horrifying image; he even went so far as to rub his eyes vigorously, trying to scratch the sight out of his corneas. Lysander, who had been working peacefully beside him, glanced up at his long time friend.

"Ran? Are you okay?" he asked quietly, trying not to draw unwanted attention lest Ranbou get flustered and unreachable.

Startling at the sound of Lysander's voice, Ranbou met eyes with the redhead, who was regarding him quizically. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good," the wolf lied dismissively, turning to continue his work on the broken door handle.

Lysander was hardly fooled. "Really? I've got the strangest feeling that you're lying through your teeth, man."

"No, I'm really fine, swear," Ranbou repeated, not daring to meet eyes with the only one who could see through his facade. Lysander was very dangerous in that respect.

"So you're completely cool with this whole extra core thing? That's all good with you?" Lysander pressed, straightening up and toweling off his hands on a grease rag as he watched Ranbou's twitching shoulders attempt to find a resting place.

The hulking wolf demon replied nonetheless, "Yup."

"And the fact that your girlfriend is heading it up doesn't bother you at all?"

"Nope."

"Not even the fact that she'll be in mortal peril almost all the time now?"

Ranbou threw down the errant door handle, growling fiercely, "Fuck, yes, it's all fine! Jesus, Ly!" The boy gripped the back of his head in a blind rage, teeth gritted and ice blue eyes a sudden navy as he seethed; he had his own secrets to keep, secrets not even Lysander could hear. He couldn't possibly tell him that Shitora Taisho was the very breath in his body and he couldn't stand the thought of her walking the world in constant danger from enemies, her pretty smile teetering as she was attacked from all sides, blood pooling at her feet...

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," Ranbou continued in a much calmer voice, so calm that Lysander felt his hackles rise at the sound of it.

Emerald eyes mournful, Lysander shook his head and muttered, "Alright, man, whatever you say," before returning to his work, hoping that all of these secrets didn't creep up to bite Ranbou in the near future. You could only keep so many things to yourself before you burst and Ranbou was already the king of explosions. Hopefully, this would all work itself out peacefully and end with a positive result.

Though Lysander just knew it wouldn't.

9191919

"Okay...lemme see here...what are we on, like the pluperfect tense? This book is so confusing."

Shitora thumbed through her French book as the room filled with the sounds of dialogue practice. She and Ranbou were currently looking for excercise 7b, though the hanyou had noticed that he boyfriend was thoroughly distracted. She was betting it had something to do with her appointment to the core, but she had more pressing things to worry about, such as her grades. And French. And school.

"Alright, this wants us to use the following verbs in the pluperfect tense in a sentence," Shitora informed Ranbou, who was tipping back his chair precariously on two legs and thinking about cigarettes.

He glanced down at the list, spotting the easiest one quickly. "Nous avions atteint une conclusion."

Shitora scowled, her amber eyes growing dangerously golden. "Really? 'We had reached a conclusion?' That barely even makes sense."

The wolf shrugged and glanced backwards as the tip of his ponytail almost touched the floor. "So what? It's just dialogue practice, who gives a shit?"

"I do," Shitora replied irritably, crossing her legs Indian style on the little chair as she peered down at the list._ Souhaiter, _the word meaning "to wish." She smiled craftily; perfect.

In a practiced French accent, she announced silkily, "Je ne vous ai pas donné un pipe comme vous avait souhaité."

Ranbou seemed to ignore this sentence, which included the word "pipe," something he wasn't familiar with, and soldiered on. Shitora grinned at her secret joke, which was sailing right over Ranbou's head, and decided to keep it up.

Ranbou made some strange half sentence with the verb meaning "to fly," and Shitora fired off another dirty French sentence.

"J'avais décidé de faire l'amour à vous quand un autre garçon a marché en. J'ai changé d'avis."

This one caused Ranbou's eyebrows to raise as he recognized the phrase meaning "to make love," thought he doubted she'd actually said it. He was drifting in and out of consciousness today, floating from one thought to another and not really caring what went on in school. He knew he'd eventually have to discuss this whole core business with Shitora, but was hoping it would all come down later rather than sooner. He was dead beat tired, after all.

After another of Ranbou's witless sentences about writing, Shitora decided on her crowning glory. The word "demander," meaning 'to ask.'

"J'aurais eu le sexe avec vous l'autre nuit si vous aviez demandé." She said this last one softly, looking at Ranbou with her golden eyes and her pretty face slightly flushed; in all honesty, she was perfectly serious.

Ranbou blinked mightily and sat up so fast that he almost sent his books flying. "What was that?" he asked blearily, cocking his head at Shitora's beautiful face. God, she was distracting.

"You heard me," she replied quietly, looking up at him so cutely that his legs almost turned to jelly. _It's a good thing I'm sittin' or we might've had cardiac arrest on our hands, _he mused.

"Did you say...that you would've...really?" he spluttered, looking stunned by the admission.

Shitora had just announced to Ranbou that she "would have had sex with him the other night if he had asked," 'if he had asked,' being her pluperfect phrase (conjugated quite well, if she did say so herself.) Ranbou was too busy worrying about the sentence's content to bother with the grammar. The couple had barely touched on the idea, since he was fairly sure she was scared of sex and he didn't want to push her, but this was quite the development. Ranbou wasn't afraid to admit it: having sex with Shitora Taisho would be the fulfillment of his most glorious fantasy.

Shitora only continued to stare at him, her eyes simmering dangerously; he knew that look well. She was waiting for him to make his move, in the metaphorical sense; she looked for all the world like a cat waiting patiently on the windowsill to be stroked. Ranbou groaned slightly and ran a tired hand over his eyes; he wanted nothing more than to rip her clothes off, but somehow he doubted that his close friends, Kayo, and Sesshomaru especially would appreciate it.

"I wish you'd told me that in a place where I could actually do something about it," he chuckled, smiling for the first time that day.

Shitora couldn't help but giggle, watching as Ranbou loosened his necktie helplessly, smoothing the top of his head near his samurai knot; she certainly knew how to push his buttons.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself. You're so distracted today," Shitora mentioned off handedly, hoping Ranbou would explain himself but knowing it was unlikely.

The wolf smiled slightly, ice blue eyes cutting swiftly to her core. "Yeah, just tired. Maybe having someone to help with the work load won't be all bad, y'know?"

Shitora eyes widened hopefully as she wondered if this could be considered his blessing. Her musings were cut short, however, as a shadow descended upon the pair in the form of Kayo, their terrifying ex-Shark French teacher.

"Well, well. Your French is so awful it's beginning to sound like Japanese," Kayo said stiffly, cocking one pierced eyebrow and looping his hands calmly before him.

Both Ranbou and Shitora stared fearfully up at him as their friends sniggered at the sight.

Shitora's quick mind brought about the most hopefuly solution. "Désolé, le rofesseur. Ranbou et je discutais la dichotomie entre français et Japonais quelquefois leurs syllabes sont similaires," the hanyou said smoothly, bowing her head respectfully as she stood to her feet.

Kayo observed her silently for a few moments, crimson eyed narrowing coldly. Finally, he replied, "Very impressive, Ms. Taisho. But your French skills do not excuse you from the rules of the classroom. The next time I catch either of you slacking, it will be detention. Is that clear?"

"Hai, sensei," they both replied quietly, Shitora with reverance and Ranbou with slight confusion; he'd barely understood a word of Shitora's reply to the professor. Sometimes, the gap in their intelligence was disheartening for him. Ranbou sighed, sparing a glance at Shitora as she retook her seat, cheeks a hot red with embarassment.

He sighed, smiling slightly; she was still adorable.

919191919

The students of South Tokyo had decided to take their lunch inside for the first time since Kagome's arrival. She gazed around the lunch room, which was the a-typical wide linoleum space filled with benches and fold out tables. It smelled of cafeteria food, which always reminded her of dog food for some reason. It was odd that cafeteria food always smelled like meat, really; it wasn't always meat, was it? There were vegetables some times...perhaps not. She'd been bringing her lunch in a bag since her freshman year following a not so pleasant incident with school lasagna. Her stomach lurched just thinking about it.

After her time away in Kyoto, Kagome had decided that this was the perfect time to reunite with her Nakama. There was little turmoil between them, but she was slightly concerned about the lack of progress as well. It didn't seem promising that her most positive fact about leading them was "that we don't want to murder each other anymore."

There was a slight silence at the table as the girls ate their sandwiches in silence, glancing around at each other as though waiting for the first person to talk. Kagome was about to say something awkward about the weather when Katia interrupted her thoughts with an evil snigger.

The leopard demon's spots contorted as she chuckled, earning herself a punch to the arm from Knight, who was blushing furiously. She attempted to use her purple hair to shield her face as she growled, "Shut up!"

Kagome cocked an eyebrow and observed the pair, finally asking hesitantly, "Do I want to know?"

"Knight's in love, it's pefectly natural," Katia snorted, errupting with furious laughter as Knight allowed her head to fall piteously down on the table, forehead connecting with the wood with a "thump."

"Will you just shut the fuck UP?" she moaned pathetically, grabbing at her violet hair desperately.

Kagome smiled slightly, with just the nearest hint of confusion, before Katia leaned across the table conspiriatorially, whispering loud enough that the others could hear the news clearly.

"Knight has a little crush on one of the Cobras and it's eating her alive; it's great," the leopard simpered, smiling twisting upwards in a devious fashion.

"Kill me," came Knight's muffled moan from the table's edge.

Kagome smiled and announced, "Well, I think it's wonderful; crushes are healthy. Who is it, Knight?"

The demon lifted her pale face slowly and dragged her hands down her face, replying. "It doesn't matter since he doesn't even know my name. So just forget the bitch mentioned it. I don't do crushes; it's going away, I swear."

Katia grinned uncontrollably, replying, "Well, good, because he's coming this way."

Knight let out an "eep" and sat up straight, crossing her legs strategically and attempting to look as casual as possible; she only succeeded in looking mildly constipated, a fact which didn't escape Mixmatch's oddly discolored eyes.

"Do you need a laxative?" the monstrous girl asked, cocking her head to the side like a curious chihuahua.

Kagome hushed Mixmatch with one stern glare as the object of Knight Sukai's affections arrived at the table, smiling his usual blithe smile and winking warmly at Kagome.

"Hey Kags. Thought I'd see if you'd trade me desserts," Hiten Mitsarugi asked, hefting a chocolate pudding cup aloft in his skilled hand.

Knight paled visibly; he was standing just behind her, close enough that they could've touched. Kagome played it cool, cocking an eyebrow at her demon friend.

"You don't want chocolate pudding, Hi? What's wrong with you?" she joked, reaching into her lunch bag and withdrawing cherry jello to complete their trade. "Cherry okay?"

"Yeah, just great," Hiten agreed, braid falling over his shoulder as he leaned forward to barter with the Wildcat leader.

As he leaned over her shoulder, Knight's face seemed to lose all conceivable color and Katia could barely contain her laughter. She forced herself to bite down on the thickest part of her sandwich, using the meat and lettuce to silence her tongue.

"A girl never turns down chocolate," Kagome informed Hiten with a playful glint in her brown eyes. "I still don't understand why you're giving it away in the first place."

"Because he's allergic to chocolate," Knight replied before she could stop herself, biting down on her lip so hard that she almost drew blood. Damn, now she'd done it; nothing said "stalker" like knowing a list of foods he might be allergic to. The other girls muffled their assorted sound of hilarity, horror and frustration into various napkins and food items. If Hiten noticed anything strange about the Nakama's behavior, he said nothing.

Instead he smiled brightly and glanced down at Knight, exclaiming, "That's some memory you've got there, Knight! Right on." He reached down a hand for her to slap, which she stared at for several glorious seconds before returning the high five.

"Knight has a great memory. She's also good at history, fuel injection system repairs and plays first chair oboe in the orchestra," Kagome said brightly, ignoring Lea Skinner as she slapped her own forehead several chairs down.

Though Knight looked as though she might vomit right onto the table, Hiten only smiled quietly and replied, "Duh, Kagome; tell me stuff I don't know." With this he raised a hand in parting to the others and walked back to his own table, which he was sharing with Bankotsu, Kouga and Sesshomaru.

Katia watched him go eagerly, her leopard spots quivering with pressure, before she finally released a hearty string of laughter. Many of the other girls joined her, earning growls and hisses from Knight as she returned to her usual charming self. Kagome grinned at her girls, who were finally acting like average teenagers; it was refreshing when contrasted with their usual gruff and business like demeanors.

"That was very smooth, Kijo," Seila the muscular wolf demon interjected with the smallest of smiles, bending her black head over a strange looking meat dish.

Kagome exclaimed with mock surprise, "Did you just make a joke, Seila? Gasp! What is the world coming to?" And with this, Kagome leaned over and rubbed the girl on the head, earning even more laughs from her Nakama members as Seila blushed furiously under her Kijo's scrutiny.

"And even after Knight's freaky creeper comment, he didn't even make a face; I think you might actually have a shot," Mixmatch sniggered, different colored eyes glittering with something besides malevolence, for once.

Nana, who had be silent for some time, looked at Knight through her eery white bangs and announced, "He looked interested in you, actually." The others looked down in surprise at the shadow demon, who was usually known only for her violence; she was smiling, if only slightly. It was highly abnormal for her to get involved in matters such as this one, but perhaps she was feeling frivolous this day.

"I wouldn't go that far," Katia interrupted, frowning baldly. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"Oh no, Kijo, I agree with Nana," Mae'Ora agreed silkily, exchanging looks with the shadow demon for the merest second. Her electric blue eyes sparkled mysteriously as she announced, "His thoughts were of great interest."

"Well don't waste time, what was he thinking?" Knight demanded, leaning towards the water sorceress with a crazed look in her own stare; this was perhaps the only time she'd found the other girl's gift to be helpful and not terribly disturbing.

"No telling," Mae'Ora replied however, ignoring Knight's curses and pouts as she gave Kagome a knowing glance from down the table. Kagome grinned as well; she caught Mae'Ora's meaning quite well.

On the other side of the lunchroom, Hiten arrived back at his table in a rather tight hurry, sitting down with such force that Kouga actually dropped his granola bar in surprise. Bankotsu raised an eyebrow at his best friend, who looked to be somewhat nervous and somewhat murderous with rage, with only the tiniest hint of delighted in the mix.

"Is something wrong, Hiten?" Sesshomaru asked, silver eyebrow cocked as he tore his attention away from his grilled chicken breast and directed his focus on the Cobra second.

Hiten delicately ignored Sesshomaru's comment by turning to Bankotsu and asked tightly, "Bank, did you maybe share information that you promised not to share with another living person on this planet? Like about a girl? That I _begged _you not to repeat?"

Bankotsu stared at Hiten's handsome face, which was contorted with a melting pot of emotions, before replying slowly, "Um...no? Sorry man, you lost me at 'did you.' What happened over there?"

"Kagome knows something," Hiten continued, ignoring Bankotsu's question as well. The lightning demon looked conspiriatorially around the table, explaining, "She was smiling in that way she does when she's trying to be sneaky. And she gave me, like, a list of reasons why _she _was so great. It was weird."

Kouga interrupted with an upraised hand, "Okay, hold up. Who is _she?"_

"A one purple-haired goddess," Bankotsu joked good naturedly, earning an exasperated look from his best friend.

"Okay, see? That right there is what I was explicitly asking you _not _to do!" Hiten exclaimed, crimson eyes turning a dangerous marroon.

"What, you mean...Sukai? What's her first name?" Kouga asked, squinting as though trying to remember the name belonging to the pale and familiar face.

"Knight," Sesshomaru replied, politely covering his mouth with his napkin as he chewed. "One of Kagome's Nakama members." When Kouga looked surprised, Sesshomaru continued with a small shrug, "It's my job to know everyone's name and title. So sue me."

"And I tried to act like I didn't notice, but the other girls at the table were, like, cracking up. I couldn't see Knight's face cause I was right behind her, but I bet she was laughing too. She was sort of shaking, but it was hard to tell," Hiten moaned, allowing his head to fall to the table with a tiny thud. "I'm so fucked. Stick a fork in me, I'm done."

After a slight pause, Bankotsu hefted his fork and poked Hiten in the arm. When the other demon yelped and glared at his friend, Bankotsu replied dumbly, "What, you said to."

"Okay," Kouga interrupted, blue eyes laughing as he continued seriously, "Hiten, I'm pretty sure you could get any girl you wanted to and I bet she's no different. Just ask her out, not hard."

"This coming from the guy who didn't ask Ayame out for, like, 7 years," Hiten replied tersley, earning a chuckle from Sesshomaru.

"He's got you there, Kouga," the great leader laughed slightly, ignoring Kouga's well placed growl.

"Kouga's right, Hi, just do it. Don't think about it," Bankotsu reasoned, messing slightly with his braid as smaller hairs danced at the nape of his neck.

Hiten, who was on the defensive by this point, snorted and leaned back in his chair, crossing his muscular arms as he retorted, "And that coming from the guy who fucks everything in a skirt."

Bankotsu's smile soured. "I do not."

Kouga only laughed, grinning the garulous Ookami grin. "Yeah you do, c'mon Bank. What was it, 20 different girlfriends just last year?"

"I do believe you once claimed to 'never sleep alone, rain, shine or otherwise,'" Sesshomaru agreed, amber eyes almost severe but with a hint of humor.

"Well, I'm not like that anymore," Bankotsu argued, fangs glimmering slightly as he grew irritable with the topic of conversation.

Hiten ignored his best friend's irritation, only continuing to goad him with a large grin. "Oh, yeah, you're not like that anymore. For all I know you were riding away on some chick last night when we were on the phone."

Kouga laughed helplessly at the suggestion as Bankotsu growled, "Jesus, I wasn't! I haven't been with a girl since May, so give me a fucking break!"

As Bankotsu said this, many of the tables nearest him went silent and turned to look at the four boys, three of whom were wearing identical expressions of smug humor as Bankotsu sighed and covered his face with his hands; and the day had started out so well...

"Aw, got some blue balls, Bank?" Hiten asked, clapping the other boy on the back heartily.

Kouga snorted. "That's almost...like, five months, dude. Rough."

"That _is _quite a long time," Sesshomaru conceeded, musing quietly to himself; five months without sex wasn't exactly his specialty, as he hadn't gone without since his freshman year in high school. Of course, this seemed completely irrelevant, as he was currently dating the most beautiful and perfect girl he'd ever laid eyes on. So, case closed.

Bankotsu had apparently also decided that this conversation was over and rose abruptly, grabbing his bag and mumbling, "I'll catch you guys later, I have...stuff to do." And with this, the Cobra leader exited the lunch room quickly, braid whipping behind him.

Hiten watched his best friend go, sighing slightly. "I didn't mean to piss him off; damn."

"Don't worry, Hi, I bet he's just tired. Forget about it," Kouga urged, smiling disarmingly. Hiten just nodded unsurely, returning slowly to his lunch.

Bankotsu stormed down the hallways of the school, occasionally allowing his hand to cuff the doors and locks of the many lockers, sighing tersley ever so often. For some reason, talking about sex with his friends had seriously set him off; he was used to being the big man on campus where stuff like that was concerned, but the summer had been such a cluster of violence and business that he hadn't had the time. As for the current semester...his thoughts were suddenly invaded by a doll-like face and beautiful red eyes.

He blinked.

He'd been busy this semester. Yeah, that was it.

Bankotsu found himself drawn to his usual smoking place, right outside the east wing near the woods' edge. He couldn't help but remember the warm day of the waning summer when he and Mizumi had laid in the grass, coming so very close to finally kissing...God how he longed to kiss her.

Damn.

"Fuck!" he cursed violently, throwing open the door and finding himself rewarded with two identical grunts of surprise.

Bankotsu stared at Inuyasha and Ranbou as they stared at him in return, eyes comically wide and mouths closed around cigarettes. The two demons looked tensed, as though ready to battle whoever might come bursting through the door, but Bankotsu finally relaxed; he'd smelled their scents on the landing before and knew that his secret place wasn't quite so "secret." It didn't really matter in the end, as long as he could take a nice long drag of nicotine.

"Hey," he murmured, dropping his bag and allowing the door to close behind him as he lit a cigarette blithely, cupping his hands around the flame.

Ranbou and Inuyasha sighed in unison and relaxed as well. "Hey," the large wolf muttered in return.

The trio was silent for a while before Inuyasha turned to Bankotsu and asked boredly, "So what's your deal? You seem pretty pissed."

Sighing and releasing a stream of steady smoke, Bankotsu focused his crimson eyes on the treeline and replied darkly, "Just irritable. The guys were making fun of me at lunch because...hell, I don't even care anymore. It's...been awhile for me, you know."

Though he half expected Ranbou and Inuyasha, two of the biggest proclaimed "assholes" in the South, to laugh heartily and poke fun at him, they only nodded slightly, seeming unperturbed by his admission.

"Join the club," Ranbou snorted, drawing in on the cigarette like his life depended on it. His normally roguish tan face was solemn and lined.

"Seriously," Inuyasha agreed.

Bankotsu observed the pair for a moment, finally allowing himself to state the obvious.

"You both have serious girlfriends, what's the hold up?""

When they exchanged glances, Bankotsu realized that their presence on the landing wasn't a coincidence; they were enduring just as he was. Ranbou turned to face the Cobra leader and shrugged his enormously wide shoulders.

"Waiting for her. Dating Sukini is...a pretty new experience."

Inuyasha snorted slightly; he didn't necessarily want his sister to be anyone's "experience," but he knew that she loved Ranbou and would eventually lose her virginity to him. Inuyasha winced at his own thoughts; that sounded so awful. Like she was...actually a grown up, or something.

Ranbou, however, was attempting to keep his face neutral as Inuyasha seethed beside him. It just didn't seem appropriate to bring up in front of her brother the fact that Shitora had practically offered herself to him during French. Somehow, the wolf assumed this would burn borders between Inuyasha and himself.

"No offense to either of you," Bankotsu continued with a respectful nod, "but Shitora seems like the kind of girl who would want to share that with you, Ran. You've got me a little confused."

"Can't really say for sure," Ranbou replied, shrugging as smoke was forcefully expelled from his nostrils. "She's not...experienced like she lets on. She's pretty new to this whole dating thing. Course, so am I," the wolf confessed after a moment. "I mean, there was Kikyo for like two weeks, but other than that, I just fucked around."

"Tell me about it," Inuyasha lamented beside him, shaking his silver head. "Kikyo was the only girl I didn't get bored of before Kagome; and let's face it, Kikyo was bat-shit."

"Yeah," Ranbou and Bankotsu agreed in a hearty unison.

"It's not like Kagome is a wilting flower, Yash; I mean, remember when she talked about her tattoo, which is apparently somewhere we can't see?" Bankotsu reminded the hanyou with a garrulous grin. "Come on, you should play 'find the tattoo.'"

Ranbou sniggered while Inuyasha colored brightly. "I dunno, we're both so fucking busy, there's no time for _that._"

"Yeah, she was sitting with her Nakama today and I actually stopped to check out who's in it. It's insane," Bankotsu marvelled, shaking his head until his braid fell over his shoulder. "I mean, Mae'Ora, Nana, Mixmatch, not to mention Seila...I don't think Rin could've put a more powerful group of Wildcats in one place."

"No offense to Kagome, but I think those girls should be with Sango or Ayame. You know, a fighter who could lead them off to take care of some loose ends," Ranbou mused. He turned his ice blue eyes to Inuyasha and muttered, "You can't tell me you're not pissing your pants every time she's with them. They're crazy powerful."

Inuyasha sighed; what was it with people insinuating that he was frequently wetting himself these days?

"I don't like it, sure. But you know how Kagome is when she gets ahold of an idea, it's like a fucking animal with a piece of meat. I don't wanna get my hand ripped off," the Taisho son replied snarkily.

Bankotsu laughed and then turned slightly as the door opened for the second time, revealing a rather haggard looking Akago Tsume. The Shark leader observed the boys momentarily before coming to a silent conclusion and allowing the door to close behind him; his cigarette was lit within seconds.

His translucent white skin glittered slightly in the pale autumn sunlight as he removed his spectacles, placing them dubiously on his head. When he sighed heavily, Ranbou chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Yeah, aren't we all."

Akago smiled softly and turned to face the company. "So, what brings you three out here?"

"Blue balls," Bankotsu replied seriously before Ranbou and Inuyasha couldn't help but laugh, causing him to do so as well.

The corners of Akago's mouth turned up at the admission, which he knew was more an admission and less of a joke. There came a time in the life of a man when he was no longer embarrassed by matters of a sexual kind. Eighteen was just about that age and, lo and behold, here stood four boys of about 18. And all of them with his own sexual roadblock.

"Well, that's certainly an epidemic recently," Akago murmured, blowing an impressive set of smoke rings as the other three exchanged glances.

"Was that a confession?" Bankotsu asked curiously.

Akago only smiled mysteriously. "Certainly on your part, yes."

There was a silence amongst the four boys for a second before Inuyasha couldn't help but continue the subject. "I mean, have you even...you know?"

Akago met the boys curious amber stare with an equally curious one. "Have I what?"

Ranbou exchanged glances with his friends, making an odd sort of hand gesture as he tried to pick up where Inuyasha had left off. "You know...done it."

Akago continued to stare at the boys in his aristocratic way, regal head cocked slightly to the side. "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about," he finally said.

Ranbou and Inuyasha exchanged glances.

"You know...hiding the salami?"

"Doing the dew."

"Buttering the corn."

"Walking the dog."

Akago only continued to stare at the boys as they listed several convoluted metaphors. The pair eventually grew quiet, staring at him with equal intensity.

Bankotsu laughed now. "Stop messing with them, Akago."

When the Shark leader grinned widely, Ranbou and Inuyasha whined and barked irritatedly about "Sharks being smartasses" and tried to blow smoke in his direction. Akago appeared quietly to their left, startling the whole line; they hadn't even seen him move.

"Nice try," he murmured, winking one crimson eye at them.

Inuyasha shivered slightly; sometimes, Akago could be rather creepy.

"Well, have you?" Ranbou asked finally.

Akago was silent for a moment and finally replied, "Yes, of course. I lived...debaucherously for many years. The North was that sort of place."

The others nodded, knowing that there must be things in the Shark leader's past that they certainly didn't want to know about. It was common knowledge that he'd been one of the Northern leaders for almost 5 years before he arrived in the South, bleeding and broken this past summer. But everyone tactfully avoided the subject, preferring to act as though he and Gan had been a permanent fixture there since the dawn of time. It was simply easier.

"I'm by no means an expert, as I hear Bankotsu is," Akago joked quietly, earning whistles from Ranbou and Inuyasha as the Cobra leader tried to shrug away the comment.

"Eh, not recently. But I did have my day," he allowed, managing a small smile.

"So I heard, even in the North," Akago replied amusedly, red eyes twinkling. "But I've noticed you've been sort of withdrawn as of late. Is everything alright?"

Sighing deeply, Bankotsu crushed the butt of his cigarette beneath his heel and stared at a crack in the concrete. "I dunno, it lost its appeal. Sleeping around is only cool for so long. Eventually it's just...monotonous."

"Agreed," Ranbou conceeded.

Inuyasha snorted and crossed his muscular arms, amber eyes glimmering with a miffed irritation. "Oh, boo-hoo, you both got laid so many times your asses went numb. My heart bleeds for you."

Akago interrupted before Ranbou and Bankotsu could explain. "When you're a leader, women just sort of fall down at your feet because they think it might land them somewhere important, somewhere of worth and power. It seems so glorious for a moment until you realize that not a single one of them cares about you personally. And then the bed is just a bed and you're just alone and none of it's worth it anymore."

The boys were silent for some time following this comment before Inuyasha finally said, "Yeah, still sounds better than blue balls."

The others sighed, allowing their eyes to drift towards the horizon as they mused over their current issues of lacking. Times certainly were hard in beautiful Tokyo.

9191919

Gan Kiretsu was never sick. It was simply a fact of her makeup and her nature, most likely also a product of her perfectionism and insistence that she be top form at all times. At the very least, Gan drank two glasses of milk a day and at least 3 oranges, knowing that calcium and Vitamin C intake would be the most organic way to avoid illness; it was bad enough being human, but being a _female _human _gang leader_ was almost enough to knock her right off the horse. If she wasn't top form, and that meant at her absolute most inpenetrable, she would never be taken seriously.

So as Gan sat in the warehouse at the table in the back, trying to focus her blurring eyes on the papers before her, she was actually beginning to worry. Sometime that morning she had begun to feel rather off, though she simply chalked it up to rising excessively early and then dealing with everyone's high-running emotions following the announcement of the new assassination core. In fact, she'd been feeling fairly strange for the past two days or so but had brushed it off, deciding it must be the change in seasons; she didn't have time to be sick, anyway. It would only slow her and, frankly, the rest of the Shark house down.

As she'd walked stiffly into lunch that afternoon and internalized the fact that the many food smells were causing her stomach to turn painfully, she'd begun to realize something was wrong. It wasn't until now, some hours later, that she was really beginning to understand the depth of this issue.

Gan's body was terribly cold though she could sense the fact that her neck was dripping with rivulets of sweat. Though she'd been slightly congested that morning and for two days prior, she was now barely able to breathe through her nose and was instead keeping her lips slightly parted to allow meager exchanges of oxygen. Something was pounding terribly inside her head, giving off a dull thrub which worked its way around her temples like a marching heart beat. The world was angry and dull and hot and awful; Gan had never felt so terrible in her entire life.

Kagome and Rin were tending to paperwork at the table when the most shocking thing happened: Gan the Gun fainted.

Because of the way she'd been sitting, Gan's forehead knocked dully on the table and she slumped forward, body limp and slightly off balance. Kagome looked up at the sound and stared at the waterfall of blonde hair cascading over the table's surface; she wondered briefly if Gan was sleeping, finding no other immediately logical solutions in her mind. Rin joined her cousin in staring curiously at the girl; the two exchanged glances before Kagome reached out a hand and brushed it over the crown of Gan's head.

"Gan? Are you...okay?"

There was no response.

Rin and Kagome waited for a beat before rising in unison, chairs scraping violently on the concrete as they rushed to the blonde's side. Mechanics in the front of the warehouse had, by this time, realized that something was occurring in the lounge and were glancing up from car parts, smudged with grease and eyes narrowed curiously.

Akago was wrenching away at a loose bolt inside the hood of an El Camino, mind working on several different tasks at once. He almost didn't hear the yelling or the frantic rush of footsteps, but a sudden warning seemed to flash through his mind; his youkai was screaming at him. Akago stood bolt upright, nearly banging his head on the hood, as he scanned the area for trouble; he found it almost immediately.

Kagome had taken Gan's face in both hands, noticing almost immediately the terrible scorching heat of her skin; the Wildcat core leader was currently trying to decide what to do with a sick doctor. She couldn't very well call up Gan to examine herself. It seemed that this might be a job for Nanashi and Kei. Rin was currently taking Gan's pulse as a small crowd of half naked gang members gathered around them, asking vague and persistent questions. Rin frowned; 48 bpm. Not great, but not deathly slow either.

"Out of the way!"

Akago came pushing through the circle, crimson eyes wide and white hair hastily pulled back in a high ponytail. He took only a moment to understand the sight of Gan, his best friend and second in command, eyes closed, head lolling against the back of the chair; her skin was paler than the clouds and her scent altered by something malevolent. He hadn't encountered it yet during their time together, but he knew that scent anywhere.

"She's ill," he said breathlessly.

Kagome looked up at him and nodded grimly. "Very. I'm going to call Nanashi, why don't you put her on the couch."

Akago could only nod as Rin steadied Gan's head, keeping her upright as Akago cradled her carefully in his arms and lifted her slowly from the chair; she was shivering in her sleep, he noticed, as he carried her quickly to the couched and laid her down upon the cushions. He positioned her head so carefully upon the pillow that Rin smiled delicately; it was almost as though he were caring for a porcelain figurine.

"Nanashi? It's Kagome Higurashi, hey. Gan is really sick, she just passed out, we have no idea what's going on..."

It was all simply background noise as Kagome explained the situation on the telephone and gang members buzzed with worry behind them, Rin muttering a prayer under her breath. Akago couldn't hear a single, solitary word of it. He could only stare at Gan's perfectly crafted face, the elegant slope of her nose, the gentle part of her lips, the incredible length of her eyelashes. She had a freckle just under her right eye, he noticed.

Notice...how had he not noticed something was wrong? He spent almost every second of the day with her and just that morning, they'd been joking about everyone's abs as he pestered her to buy a coat.

Akago sighed; he was a fine leader but, perhaps, not as good of a friend.

"She and Kei are on their way," Kagome said softly as she took a seat beside Gan's still form, smiling quietly up at Akago. "I'm sure she's fine, Akago; I mean, she's so private...she could've been sick for days."

Akago mirrored Kagome's rueful, solemn smile with one of his own. "She's so busy being the school physician...I've never thought about what to do when she needs one for herself."

Rin saddled up beside Akago and wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder; she was smiling also, that confident little Rin smile that reminded Kagome of young days in the warm Japan sun. Akago was slightly startled by Rin's physical show of affection, but the lingering after effect was a platonic one of absolute and total comfort. He sighed and reached up a hand, placing it atop her shimmering black head.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Rin glanced up at the Shark leader, who's height didn't leave as frightening gap between them as most of the gang members; Rin spent most of her time in the warehouse feeling dwarfed. Akago's crimson eyes were downcast and impossibly troubled; Rin knew he was more guilty than he was worried. Sickness could be cured and handled, however irritating it was, but one was unfortunately unable to go back in time and prevent it from occurring. That was his biggest regret, she thought.

The screeching of tires drew everyone's attention to the front of the warehouse, where Kei and Nanashi's black sports car had just arrived. In a flurry of flying red hair the couple arrived, still in their respective professional uniforms as they waved briefly to Shippo and Souten before hurrying to the lounge area.

Nanashi smelled of sickness, formaldehyde and death; the demons involuntarily took a step backwards, something the redhead didn't seem to care much about. In fact, she welcomed the extra space. Her scrubs wrinkled as she knelt beside the couch, taking Gan's pulse as Rin had done and examining her joints, bending them back and forth routinely. She reached into her pocket and withdrew a thermometer, placing it gently in between Gan's lips and waiting for an agonizing 15 seconds or so; Akago exchanged glances with Rin and Kagome, who were now flanking him on either side and grabbing anxiously at his arms.

Nanashi whistled and stared at the device, waving it back and forth as thought to cool it. "I think we've got ourselves a live one here, Kei. 102.9 right now, but I bet you anything it's climbing."

Kei sighed nervously and crossed his elegantly clad arms. "That's too high; hospital?"

Nanashi frowned and looked up at Akago, who was watching her levelly. "It would be best, Shark. Unless..."

"She can't," Akago said quietly, closing his eyes as though her were willing away a terrible pain. Kagome and Rin felt his arms tense. "She refuses hospice care because of outstanding business. If there's any other way we can treat her..."

Nanashi sighed and stood, crossing her freckled arms as she addressed the group of teenagers. "Well, I wanted to run tests but only for formality's sake. I can tell you, as a professional, that she has a nasty case of the flu and fainted from dehydration. If you let it progress like this, it will turn into pneumonia. If she doesn't get hospital care for pneumonia, she will get increasingly worse until she eventually passes away. That's the absolute worse case scenario and mostly for scare tactics, but I'm telling it to you anyway. I can get you Relenza from a friend at the pharmacy, but you will then be personally responsible for her care."

Akago nodded stiffly, looking as though he took the responsibility quite seriously. Kagome had no doubt in her mind that he was considering this his fault; it was just Akago's way when it came to Gan.

"Right now, you need to get her home," Nanashi continued, looking slightly irritated that Akago was refusing to take her to the hospital; Akago only wished he could.

"I will, thank you very much," Akago said graciously, bowing his head to Nanashi as she sighed and turned to leave, eager to be away from the warehouse that reminded her of so many summer nights those 10 odd years ago. Kei bit his lip fretfully, eyes dancing between his wife and Akago; he hoped the kid knew what he was doing. It was then that Kei noticed that familiar glint in Akago's crimson eyes and he smiled slightly; Kei was actually in possession of that same glint and had been for the past, oh, 12 years? Glancing slightly at his wife, Kei decided Akago would be just fine.

"Alright, time to go," Kei said blithely, ignoring Nanashi's huff and waving happily to his son, who looked thoroughly confused by everything.

Akago picked Gan carefully up in his arms a second time and glanced at Kagome and Rin, who looked as though they were thinking their own private thoughts about the whole situation. WIth a nod to the others, Akago cradled Gan to his chest and managed to grab his keys from the table, exiting the warehouse as beautiful golden hair spilled across his arm and permeated the entire place with its beautiful floral scent. Akago Tsume had a job to do.

919191919

**There we go! I tried to focus more on non-original characters, but I realize it didn't really go as planned. So, I decided to take a few of them out of commission so that I absolutely had to focus on non-originals!**

**Just kidding, this is all part of a plan. But I mean...it works for everyone.**

**Thanks everyone for reviewing even after all this time has past. I'm so glad to hear from everyone and hope you're all doing very well and enjoying life as we all get a little older. I started this my junior year in high school...I'm now a junior in college. Funny how time flies, isn't it? **

**Also, funny how my writing hasn't improved because I'm at music conservatory and don't actually have to write. Ever.**

**So, I'm stagnant at age-18-writer. But, on the road to improvement again!**

**Love you guys!**

**KOLU**


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